Houthis announce maritime embargo, say Bab al-Mandab closed to Saudi ships

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia and said its forces were closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait to Saudi vessels, declaring the move in response to what it called a comprehensive blockade of Houthi-held ports and airports.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the embargo would begin immediately and framed it as retaliation for nearly 12 years of an “unjust and oppressive siege,” accusing Saudi Arabia of imposing blockades by land, sea and air.

Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, posted that the group’s forces were closing the Bab al-Mandab to Saudi ships, but Sarea did not provide operational details about the embargo.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait, a 32km-wide waterway between southwestern Yemen and the Horn of Africa, links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and is a key route for shipments bound for the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Since the Gaza war began in October 2023 the Houthis have intermittently attacked merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden using missiles, drones and small boats, and have said those actions were in solidarity with Palestinians.

Earlier this month the Houthis reported missile strikes on Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, which they said were in response to air strikes on Sanaa’s airport; the Saudi-backed Yemeni government said it had carried out strikes to prevent an Iranian plane from landing without authorization.

Shipping through Bab al-Mandab fell sharply after attacks on vessels, prompting some operators to reroute around southern Africa. Data cited in the original report showed Saudi crude exports have been diverted to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, with volumes from there rising in recent weeks.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The Houthis framed the maritime embargo as direct retaliation for a long-running blockade, announcing immediate measures while providing limited operational specifics. The closure claim targets a strategically vital route, and prior Houthi attacks on merchant shipping have already affected traffic through the Bab al-Mandab and altered regional shipping patterns.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Houthis declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia and said Bab al-Mandab is closed to Saudi ships.
• Announcement made by military spokesman Yahya Sarea, citing a nearly 12-year blockade on Houthi-controlled ports and airports.
• Houthi media deputy Nasruddin Amer confirmed the closure claim; no operational details were provided.