The Yemen-based Houthi movement announced on Monday, July 20th, 2026, an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions in the region. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea condemned what he described as an "unjust and oppressive siege on our dear people for nearly 12 years," accusing Saudi Arabia of plundering resources and imposing a comprehensive blockade on Yemeni ports and airports by land, sea, and air.

This announcement follows a week after the most significant escalation in the largely dormant conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia since an informal truce took effect in 2022. The Houthis claimed to have launched missiles at Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia in retaliation for air strikes on Sanaa's airport, which they blamed on the kingdom. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government, however, claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating they aimed to prevent an Iranian plane from landing in the capital without authorization.

The Houthis described the embargo as a maritime blockade against the "criminal Saudi enemy," based on the principle of "an eye for an eye," including closing the Bab al-Mandab strait to Saudi enemy ships. Experts warn that even if no ships are attacked, the embargo announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping and create uncertainty for Saudi ports.

Yemen has been devastated by civil war since 2014, when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015 after a Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government. The fighting has reportedly resulted in over 150,000 deaths and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with more than 22 million people needing aid, according to the United Nations.

Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, the Houthis have attacked merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with missiles, drones, and small boats, citing support for Palestinians. Although these attacks paused following a Gaza ceasefire last October, maritime traffic through the strait has not returned to previous levels. Recent data from Kpler and Signal Ocean indicate about 4 million barrels per day have been shipped through the area in recent weeks, compared with about 973,000 barrels per day a year earlier.

The Houthis warned that any further escalation by Saudi Arabia would be met with a "comprehensive and decisive escalation."

Sources