Yemen’s Houthis announce maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia

Yahya Saree, spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), announced a ban on maritime navigation linked to Saudi Arabia, describing the move as a response based on the principle of “a siege for a siege,” Al Masirah reports.

According to the spokesperson, any actions taken by Riyadh would trigger a “comprehensive and severe escalation.”

The Houthis' announcement stems from long-running grievances over the Saudi-led coalition's restrictions on Yemen, which they frame as an ongoing "blockade" affecting ports, airports, and air sovereignty.

The escalation followed a July 2026 incident in which an Iranian civilian aircraft attempted to land at Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport. The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking the airport runway to prevent the landing, arguing that the incident ended a period of relative de-escalation.

In response, Houthi officials invoked the principle of reciprocity (“siege for a siege”), threatening Saudi Red Sea navigation and oil exports via Bab el-Mandeb Strait as leverage to push for the lifting of restrictions on Yemeni airports and ports.

By Jeyhun Aghazada