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Yemen's Iranian-Backed Houthis Announce Maritime Embargo Against Saudi Arabia
🇺🇸 United States /Conflict & Security

Yemen's Iranian-Backed Houthis Announce Maritime Embargo Against Saudi Arabia

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Yemen's Houthi rebels announced an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in retaliation for a blockade and an attack on Sanaa airport.
  • The rebels described the embargo as an "eye for an eye" response, threatening a vital global shipping route.
  • This action raises fears of renewed conflict, particularly as the Bab al-Mandeb strait is crucial for international trade, with Saudi Arabia already facing pressure from its own pipeline alternative.

Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday, escalating regional tensions and threatening a critical global shipping lane. The rebels framed the move as a direct retaliation for Saudi Arabia's long-standing blockade on Yemen and a recent airstrike on Sanaa International Airport.

A Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, announced the embargo in a video statement, calling it an "equation of 'an eye for an eye.'" While details were scarce, Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, stated on X that the Bab al-Mandeb strait would be closed in response to what he termed Saudi Arabia's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years."

an "eye for an eye."

— Yahya SareeDescribing the Houthi maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.

The Bab al-Mandeb strait, located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a vital artery for global commerce, serving as the gateway to the Red Sea. Approximately 12% of the world's trade typically transits through this narrow waterway, with a quarter of global container traffic passing through it en route to and from the Suez Canal. The Houthis have previously demonstrated their capacity to disrupt shipping in this area, having targeted over 100 vessels during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

the Bab al-Mandeb strait will be closed in response to what he called Saudi Arabia's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years."

— Nasruddin AmerExplaining the Houthi rationale for closing the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

There has been no immediate reaction from Saudi Arabia. The kingdom relies on its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, a route it uses to transport millions of barrels of crude oil daily. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition that has been engaged in a conflict against the Houthis since 2015, imposing an air and sea blockade on Yemen. A truce in 2022 has been strained in recent days following the Houthis' claim that Saudi forces struck Sanaa airport while attempting to intercept a flight carrying Houthi leaders returning from Iran.

In response to the alleged airport attack, the Houthis launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport, marking a significant escalation. Experts suggest the Houthis' move to allow a direct international flight to land without coalition approval aimed to establish new parameters for Yemen's airspace control. Saree affirmed the Houthis' right to respond to the blockade with a blockade and vowed to confront any "foolish act" by the "reckless Saudi enemy" with "comprehensive and decisive escalation."

"We affirm the right of our great people to respond to the blockade with a blockade," adding that Houthis are prepared to confront "any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy ... with a comprehensive and decisive escalation."

— Yahya SareeEmphasizing the Houthi resolve to escalate actions against Saudi Arabia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by PBS NewsHour in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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