Bab-el-Mandeb is the strait separating Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea and connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Its name is commonly translated from Arabic as “Gate of Tears” or “Gate of Grief.” The strait lies between the southwestern Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, making it a natural gateway between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal route.
Perim Island divides Bab-el-Mandeb into two channels. The larger western channel, used by most shipping, is generally called the Dact-el-Mayun passage, while the narrower eastern channel lies closer to the Arabian coast. The strait is strategically important because vessels traveling between Europe and Asia often pass through it.
Bab-el-Mandeb is sometimes confused with the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Bab-el-Mandeb instead links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.