Iran's threats against this Red Sea chokepoint are a big vulnerability for the oil market

President Donald Trump faces the risk that Iran will close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the conflict in the Middle East escalates, a scenario that would slash oil supplies to an already deeply disrupted market. The Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world's key trade chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. It has acted as crucial relief valve for the oil market as exports through the Strait of Hormuz have plunged due to Iranian attacks on tanker and cargo ships. …