Yemen’s Houthis have declared an immediate naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening the Bab al-Mandeb gateway at a time when Riyadh depends heavily on Red Sea oil exports following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthis Move to Choke Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Oil Route
Yemen’s Houthi movement has declared an immediate naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions between the two sides and raising fresh concerns over shipping and energy exports through the Red Sea.
The Iran-aligned group, formally known as Ansar Allah, announced the measure on Monday, days after threatening to impose a “siege” on the kingdom in retaliation for an attack on Sanaa International Airport.
The Houthis said the maritime embargo was based on the principle of “an eye for an eye,” arguing that Yemen had endured years of restrictions imposed by Saudi Arabia and its allies.
In a statement, the group accused the Saudi leadership of maintaining what it called an unjust blockade on Yemeni ports, airports and territory for nearly 12 years.
The Houthis said Yemen had the right to “respond to the blockade with a blockade” and warned that any further Saudi military action would be met with a broad and decisive response.
The group also called for continued military mobilisation and urged supporters to prepare for possible escalation.
It was not immediately clear how the Houthis intended to enforce the blockade or whether the announcement would lead to renewed attacks on commercial shipping near Yemen.
However, any attempt to interfere with Saudi-linked vessels could have major consequences for regional security and global energy markets.
Airport Attack Triggered New Escalation
The announcement followed an attack on Sanaa International Airport that the Houthis blamed on Saudi Arabia.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government claimed responsibility for the strike, saying the operation was intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing in the Houthi-controlled capital.
The Houthis responded by firing ballistic missiles toward Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport. The Saudi-led coalition said the missiles were intercepted.
The confrontation followed renewed fighting between Houthi forces and troops aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government in Hodeidah.
The violence threatens to end several years of relative calm that followed a temporary truce between the warring sides.
Saudi Arabia led a military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government after the Houthis seized Sanaa and expanded across large parts of the country.
Although major cross-border fighting had declined in recent years, the latest attacks suggest the conflict could return to a more dangerous phase.
Bab al-Mandeb Could Become the Main Target
The Houthis did not identify the exact maritime area covered by the blockade, but attention is focused on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The narrow passage connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. It lies between Yemen on one side and Djibouti and Eritrea on the other.
At its narrowest point, the strait is approximately 29 kilometres wide, forcing ships travelling between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean through limited navigation channels.
The Houthis previously demonstrated their ability to disrupt traffic in the area during attacks on commercial ships following the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023.
Those attacks forced many major shipping companies to redirect vessels around the southern tip of Africa, increasing transport times, fuel costs and insurance premiums.
The campaign largely stopped after a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the new blockade declaration has renewed fears that the Houthis could again target ships passing through the Red Sea.
The group could seek to limit its campaign to Saudi-linked vessels, but identifying ownership, cargo destinations and commercial connections at sea can be difficult. Any attacks could therefore affect a much wider range of international shipping.
Saudi Oil Exports Face New Threat
The blockade announcement comes at a particularly sensitive time for Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom has relied increasingly on its Red Sea export route since the Strait of Hormuz became heavily disrupted following the expansion of the United States-Israel conflict with Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, also known as Petroline, carries oil from the kingdom’s eastern production centres to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The pipeline runs approximately 1,200 kilometres across Saudi Arabia and can transport about seven million barrels of oil per day.
It allows Riyadh to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and export crude directly from the Red Sea.
From Yanbu, tankers carrying Saudi oil must normally travel south through Bab al-Mandeb to reach Asian markets.
Shipments from Yanbu have increased sharply as Saudi Arabia moved more exports away from the Gulf route. Recent volumes were reported to have reached around four million barrels per day, compared with less than one million barrels per day a year earlier.
This means Bab al-Mandeb has become more important to Saudi Arabia’s energy strategy.
If the Houthis successfully disrupt shipping near the strait, Riyadh could lose the main alternative route it has used to avoid the crisis in Hormuz.
Saudi exports toward Europe could potentially move north through the Suez Canal, but shipments to major Asian customers require access through the southern Red Sea.
Any serious disruption would increase shipping costs, complicate delivery schedules and potentially force Saudi Arabia to reduce production if storage facilities filled faster than oil could be exported.
Wider Energy Market Risks
The timing of the announcement has raised concerns because two of the world’s most important maritime energy routes are now under pressure.
The Strait of Hormuz traditionally carries around one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. Bab al-Mandeb carries crude oil, refined fuel and commercial cargo between the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
About 4.1 billion barrels of crude oil and petroleum products reportedly passed through Bab al-Mandeb in 2024, representing roughly five percent of global volumes.
Traffic through the strait has increased as Gulf producers divert exports away from Hormuz.
Recent petroleum flows through Bab al-Mandeb were estimated at approximately 7.4 million barrels per day, almost double the level recorded one year earlier.
A simultaneous disruption of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb would therefore create severe pressure on global energy markets.
Oil prices could rise sharply, shipping insurance would become more expensive and European and Asian importers could face supply delays.
The effects would extend beyond crude oil. Container shipping, food imports, manufactured goods and humanitarian deliveries to countries around the Red Sea could also be affected.
A Declaration With Uncertain Enforcement
The Houthis have declared a blockade, but declaring one and enforcing it are different matters.
The group does not possess a conventional navy capable of physically sealing the strait. Its power comes from missiles, armed drones, explosive boats and the threat of unpredictable attacks.
The Houthis do not need to stop every vessel to disrupt the route. A limited number of successful attacks could persuade shipping companies to avoid the area voluntarily.
The critical question is whether the declaration represents a political warning intended to pressure Saudi Arabia or the beginning of an active maritime campaign.
The answer will depend on whether Houthi forces begin issuing navigation warnings, identifying Saudi-linked ships or launching attacks near Bab al-Mandeb and the southern Red Sea.
For now, the declaration has reopened one of the most dangerous fronts in the Yemen conflict.
It also places Saudi Arabia’s emergency oil-export strategy under direct threat at a moment when the kingdom, the Gulf and international markets are already facing serious disruption elsewhere.
