Houthi rebels announce maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, threaten closure of Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on Monday that they are imposing a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, targeting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key chokepoint for about 12% of global trade. The decision was presented as retaliation for what the Houthis describe as a decade-long Saudi blockade of Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a video that the ban is an "eye for an eye" and that the group is ready to respond to any Saudi actions with a "comprehensive and decisive escalation." Deputy head of the Houthi media office Nasruddin Amer posted on X that the strait will be closed to Saudi vessels in response to the "unjust blockade" on Yemen.

Saudi military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki responded that all Houthi threats to transiting vessels will be dealt with "swiftly and firmly," calling them violations of international law and acts of piracy. The Saudi coalition, which has maintained an air and sea blockade of Yemen since 2015, said it will keep the waterway open.

The Bab al-Mandeb, a 32-kilometre passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, handles a quarter of global container traffic. Disruption could force ships to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, adding roughly 2,700 miles to voyages between Saudi Arabia and the United States and increasing shipping costs.

The Houthis have previously targeted vessels in the strait during the Israel-Hamas war, attacking more than 100 ships. It is unclear whether they will resume that level of activity against Saudi interests.

Analysts note that the embargo comes amid broader regional tensions, including recent missile and drone strikes by the Houthis on Saudi airports and a reported Iranian-supplied weapons shortage affecting the group.