The Gulf state of Qatar said a de facto closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which separates Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would be a disaster.
"The world is suffering enough because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz," a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. It could not afford for the sea route through Bab al-Mandab to become impassable as well, he said.
"It would be catastrophic for the whole world."
He added that a blockade of international sea routes could not be allowed to become the "new normal."
The Iran-backed Houthi militia advanced south along the coast of Yemen last week and now controls the coastal towns of Mokha, Dhubab and several islands in the Red Sea. From there, the militia is in a position to attack merchant ships even more effectively than before.
The Bab al-Mandab, or Gate of Tears, connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and lies on the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. In normal times, around 10% of global maritime trade and 30% of global container traffic passes through the Strait.
Traffic through the strait fell significantly after the militia started to attack ships in 2023. Many shipping companies opted for the long and expensive detour via the Cape of Good Hope off the coast of South Africa.
Saudi Arabia, the world's leading oil exporter, is attempting to ship some of its oil via the Red Sea, as it has to be rerouted due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also discussed the matter with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during a visit to Cairo on Tuesday.
Egyptian sources said both leaders agreed that freedom of navigation must not be threatened. Like Saudi Arabia, Egypt has a long coastline on the Red Sea.