Saudi-led Arab coalition warns Houthis over maritime blockade threat

The Saudi-led Arab coalition has announced the start of measures to protect shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after Yemen’s Houthi movement declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.

Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said any Houthi attacks would be met with a firm and decisive response. He described such actions as a serious violation of international law, adding that they constituted an act of maritime piracy, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition undertakes and executes all firm and resolute operational measures that fall in line with Customary International Humanitarian Law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to protect our commercial vessels transiting through Bab Al-Mandab Strait,” he said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the Houthi threats, stressing that Riyadh remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Yemen. At the same time, the ministry said all necessary measures would be taken to safeguard maritime navigation in the event of attacks.

The Arab coalition was established in March 2015 under Saudi leadership and includes several Arab states, among them the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Its primary objective is to support Yemen’s internationally recognised government in its conflict with the Houthis.

By Jeyhun Aghazada