Although Iran does not border the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Yemen does, and Iran is closely allied with the Houthis, the Yemeni militant group that previously conducted dozens of strikes against Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea in 2023 and 2024 in response to the war in Gaza.
I’m not glorifying or supporting nihilistic slogans like that. I’m saying that there’s a reason they became popular, and it’s the same reason they have tended to grow in popularity.
As in: if Israel had maintained a strong defense force, acknowledged and made attempts to rectify mistakes from their past, and simultaneously tried their best to get along with and form economic and cultural ties with the surrounding countries and cultures instead of resorting to military adventurism every time they felt a bit squeamish, perhaps they wouldn’t be in the extremely fucky and deeply, darkly ironic position they’re in today.