Yemen’s Houthis have declared an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, warning that Saudi-linked shipping could be targeted in retaliation for attacks on Sana’a International Airport and what the group described as years of blockade and economic pressure.
Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the move was being taken on an “eye for an eye” basis, although the group did not specify the scope or enforcement of the embargo. The announcement raises fresh risks for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupted amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, Saudi Arabia has increasingly diverted crude to the Red Sea port of Yanbu via pipeline.
Tankers leaving Yanbu must pass through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint within range of Houthi attacks. The Houthis have previously demonstrated their ability to disrupt international shipping in the Red Sea, launching a campaign of attacks in late 2023 that forced many vessels to avoid the Suez Canal and take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
The latest threat comes as the regional conflict has already placed pressure on global energy flows. Any disruption to Saudi shipments through the Bab el Mandeb could further squeeze oil exports and deepen the economic fallout from the wider confrontation between the US and Iran.