Yemen’s Houthis Declare Maritime Embargo Against Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Houthis announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions in the region amidst ongoing conflict.

Yemen’s Houthis have announced the initiation of a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia, a move that escalates the already heightened tensions in the region. The military spokesman for the Iran-backed group stated that the embargo starts immediately and is in retaliation for what the Houthis describe as a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in their controlled areas of north-western Yemen.

Details surrounding the embargo remain sparse; however, a Houthi media official indicated that they would be closing the strategically significant Bab al-Mandab Strait, which serves as the southern gateway to the Red Sea, to vessels from Saudi Arabia. This step represents a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.

The Saudi foreign ministry has responded by condemning the embargo, asserting that the kingdom will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its ships, in accordance with international law. The Bab al-Mandab Strait has become crucial for Saudi oil shipments, especially in light of the ongoing conflicts that have forced the closure of alternative routes like the Strait of Hormuz.

Just a week prior to this announcement, there had been an uptick in hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, marking a significant escalation since an informal ceasefire was put into place in 2022. The Houthis had reportedly launched missiles at Abha Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia as a direct response to aerial attacks on Sanaa’s airport, which they blame on the Saudi-led coalition.

Yemen’s civil war, which erupted in 2014 when the Houthis overthrew the Yemeni government, has led to a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions. The conflict escalated further in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened in an attempt to restore the government. It is estimated that the ongoing war has resulted in over 150,000 deaths, and currently, more than 22 million people in Yemen require humanitarian aid, according to United Nations reports.

On Monday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea accused Saudi Arabia of imposing an “unjust and oppressive siege” on the Yemeni people for nearly 12 years, asserting that the Saudi blockade has plundered their resources and restricted access to ports and airports from all entry points—land, sea, and air. He firmly declared the maritime embargo against what he called the “criminal Saudi enemy” is a measured response, rooted in an ethos of “an eye for an eye.”

Sarea cautioned that any future aggression from Saudi Arabia would be met with a comprehensive and decisive response, although he didn’t provide specific details about the embargo’s terms. However, the deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, mentioned on the platform X that ships from Saudi Arabia would be prohibited from transiting through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

This strait is a crucial 32-kilometer-wide waterway that connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea, itself linking to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Following recent incidents related to the Gaza war, the Houthis had engaged in attacks on commercial vessels in the surrounding waters, claiming to support the Palestinian cause.

Reports indicate that up to four ships have been attacked, with several crew members losing their lives, leading to a drastic decrease in commercial traffic through the Bab al-Mandab. Nevertheless, after a ceasefire was established concerning Gaza, the Houthis ceased these maritime attacks, although shipping traffic has yet to recover fully.

In reaction to the developments in the Strait of Hormuz, where Saudi Arabia has redirected over 70% of its crude exports, the port of Yanbu recently recorded shipments of approximately 4 million barrels per day, a significant spike compared to previous data. The total petroleum volumes navigating through Bab al-Mandab also surged to approximately 7.4 million barrels per day in June, accounting for about 7% of the global oil supply.

Mohammed Albasha, a risk analyst from the US-based advisory firm Basha Report, emphasized that while it remains unclear whether the Houthis will commence actions against vessels heading to Saudi Arabia, the mere announcement of the embargo is likely to create uncertainty in shipping operations. He indicated that the critical question lies in whether the Houthis will progress from mere threats to tangible military actions.