Houthis impose naval blockade on Saudi Arabia as regional shipping crisis deepens

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement on Monday announced an immediate naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, marking a major escalation in the region as tensions continue to rise alongside the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement comes days after the Houthis resumed missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, ending a four-year period of relative calm between the two sides.

The latest developments have raised fears that the conflict could spill further across West Asia, adding another flashpoint to the wider confrontation involving Iran and the United States.

According to a Reuters report, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was imposing a maritime embargo on what he described as the "criminal Saudi enemy", saying the move would take effect immediately. He described the blockade as an "eye for an eye" response to Saudi actions against Yemen.

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Houthis cite Saudi 'siege' as reason for blockade

The Houthis said the naval blockade was a response to what they called Saudi Arabia's continued blockade of Yemen over the past 12 years. The group accused Riyadh of restricting movement through Yemen's ports, airports and land crossings while exploiting the country's resources.

The announcement significantly raises the stakes for shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waters at a time when global maritime trade is already under pressure because of the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Saudi Arabia has not immediately responded to the Houthi declaration.

Airport strike ended years of relative calm

The latest escalation began after Saudi forces struck Sanaa International Airport last week. The attack reportedly targeted an aircraft operated by Iran's Mahan Air that had travelled to Tehran carrying senior Houthi leaders for the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The aircraft was forced to divert and land in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Al Hudaydah. The Houthis condemned the strike as a "blatant aggression" and declared that the period of de-escalation between the two sides had come to an end.

Hours later, the group launched missiles and drones towards Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport. The Houthis also warned commercial airlines against operating in Saudi airspace until what they described as the "siege" on Sanaa airport is lifted.

First attacks since 2022 truce

The missile and drone strikes were the first publicly claimed by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia since an informal truce took effect in March 2022 after years of cross-border attacks, including strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure.

With the Strait of Hormuz already facing severe disruption due to the Iran-US conflict, the Houthi announcement of a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia threatens to add fresh uncertainty to regional shipping routes and energy supplies.