Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a maritime navigation ban on Saudi Arabia, a move that opens a new front against the United States in its war on Iran and widens the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.
In their statement, the Houthis’ armed forces said they were declaring “a maritime embargo” against the “Saudi enemy,” based on the equation of “an eye for an eye,” effective immediately.
In a televised statement, the spokesman of the Yemeni Armed Forces Yahya Saree announced that they would respond to “the blockade with a blockade.”
“We affirm the right of our great people to respond to the blockade with a blockade, and to respond to all escalation with all escalation,” Saree said.
Warning of further escalation, Saree added: “The Yemeni armed forces affirm their complete readiness for all options, and any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy through all escalation will be met with a comprehensive and decisive escalation.”
The statement did not clarify exactly what a maritime embargo would consist of. Security services specialist in maritime Ambrey assessed “Saudi Arabia-flagged/-owned/-operated vessels, vessels enroute to or from Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports to constitute a strong affiliation with the Houthi target profile and therefore be at high risk of Houthi attack.”
The Houthis warned that any further escalation by Saudi Arabia would be met with a broader response, saying their forces were prepared for “all options”.
“We call upon the people of our great nation to continue the general mobilization and general call to arms, and to be fully prepared for all scenarios and developments, and to support the fronts with fighters,” he said.
Monday’s development comes amid heightened tensions. In a statement, military spokesman Saree accused Saudi Arabia of maintaining an “unjust siege” on Yemen for nearly 12 years through restrictions on ports and airports, claiming the measures had worsened the suffering of their people.
The Houthi spokesperson had vowed retaliation over the blockade and accused the kingdom of bombing an airport under their control.
Saudi Arabia foreign ministry expressed its strong condemnation of the remarks made by the military spokesperson affiliated with the Houthi militia, accusing the kingdom of “besieging the brotherly Yemeni people” and “prohibiting maritime navigation to the Kingdom.”
China has called for respect for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security while urging all parties to resolve regional disputes through diplomacy.
“China opposes attacks against civilian facilities,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.
“The sovereignty and security of Saudi Arabia and other countries should be respected.”
He said Beijing supports resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means to help restore peace and stability across the region.
“China advocates that relevant parties should resolve disputes through political and diplomatic means to create conditions for an early restoration of peace and tranquility in the region,” Lin added.
The comments came after Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Saree threatened to impose a maritime navigation ban on Saudi Arabia. It was not immediately clear how the Houthis would implement the maritime blockade or whether it could signal a return to attacks on international shipping.
“Even if no ships are attacked, the announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping,” analysts warn. Whether the Houthis move from threats to direct action remains the critical issue. A wider conflict with the Houthis could deepen regional tension, further escalate hostilities between the US and Iran, and could also disrupt shipping through the Red Sea.
The Houthis have previously attacked ships transiting through the Red Sea, a move which forced global shipping companies to take massive detours to avoid the area.
Since the US and Israeli strikes started on Iran in late February, shipping through Hormuz has also been severely disrupted, affecting global oil prices. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen dramatically as the fighting escalates.
