Houthis announce naval blockade of Saudi Arabia – how will this affect the Red Sea trade corridor? | Today’s news
Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia after the two sides exchanged fire last week for the first time in years. The Houthi rebels are “declaring a naval embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately after this statement is issued,” military spokesman Yahya Saree said.
The Houthis said the blockade was a direct response to what they described as a Saudi siege of Yemen and a strike on Sanaa International Airport last week. The announcement also follows a series of military exchanges that have revived a front in the conflict that has remained relatively subdued in recent years.
The Houthis declare an immediate naval embargo on Saudi Arabia
In a televised statement, Saree announced that vessels linked to Saudi Arabia would face an embargo with immediate effect.
According to him, the measure was intended to reflect Saudi Arabia’s restrictions on Yemen’s transport infrastructure.
“They would respond to a ‘blockade with a blockade,'” Saree said, referring to what the Houthis describe as restrictions on Yemen’s ports and airports.
Warning of further escalation, Saree added: “Any foolish act committed by the ruthless Saudi enemy will be met with comprehensive and decisive escalation despite all escalation.”
Earlier on Monday, a Houthi spokesman also promised retaliation for the blockade and attack on Sana’a airport.
“Our people cannot endure this unjust siege and aggression without taking a stand… They have every right to face this unjust siege and aggression by all available means,” he said.
Cross-border strikes are reviving a long-dormant front
The latest escalation follows a spike in hostilities last week. The Houthis fired missiles at Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia after Yemen’s internationally recognized government said it targeted Sanaa airport to prevent a plane carrying a Houthi delegation from Iran from landing.
The Houthis blamed Riyadh for the attack on Sana’a airport and accused Saudi Arabia of tightening restrictions on Yemen’s air links.
For more than a decade, planes entering Yemeni airspace have required prior permission from the Saudi-led coalition that supports the Yemeni government. Coalition officials said the agreement is being enforced at the request of internationally recognized bodies.
Red Sea shipping and Saudi oil exports are in the spotlight
Houthi’s announcement of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia raised concerns about maritime security in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest trade corridors.
During the Gaza conflict, the Houthis repeatedly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, forcing many shipping companies to divert vessels around southern Africa.
The Red Sea is also strategically important to Saudi Arabia as it provides access to the port of Yanbu, allowing the kingdom to export large volumes of oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, where regional tensions disrupted shipping during the Iran-US conflict.
