In brief
The Iran‑backed Houthi militia has vowed a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, citing a response to blockades of Yemen’s ports and airports. The spokesman announced the embargo and suggested that the group would close the Bab al‑Mandab Strait to Saudi vessels. Saudi officials denounced the claim and pledged to protect its shipping under international law. The move follows a decade‑long conflict that has left millions in Yemen in crisis and has reshaped regional oil shipping routes during the Gaza war.
The Houthis have declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Iran‑backed militia’s military spokesman announced an immediate embargo as retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemeni ports and airports. He offered no specific details, but an Houthi media officer confirmed that forces were closing the Bab al‑Mandab Strait, the key gateway from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, to Saudi vessels.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemned the move, saying it would take “all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law.” The embargo comes weeks after the Houthis launched missiles at a Saudi air‑base in response to air strikes on Sanaa airport, which the Saudi‑backed Yemeni government blamed on Saudi forces.
The conflict, begun after the Houthis seized power in Yemen in 2014, has resulted in more than 150,000 civilian deaths and a humanitarian disaster that has displaced 22 million people. The blockade has further strained Yemen’s economy and complicated international shipping routes that have already shifted due to the Gulf’s closure during the Gaza war.
The Houthi announcement is a new escalation, signalling that they may again target vessels traveling between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Geopolitical analysts warn that any escalation could threaten global supply chains and intensify regional tensions. The full consequences will hinge on whether the embargo turns from threat to action.
