Houthi naval blockade on Saudi Arabia
On Monday, the Houthis in Yemen announced the imposition of a naval blockade on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a move that threatens to escalate the conflict in the region and disrupt energy supplies and global trade outside the Gulf region.
The military spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, said in a statement that the Houthis announce «a ban on maritime navigation on Saudi Arabia in accordance with the equation of siege by siege, and it will enter into force from the moment this statement is announced ».
He added: «We affirm the right of our people to confront the siege with a siege and comprehensive escalation with comprehensive escalation and to stabilize this equation». He continued, saying: «We confirm our full readiness for all options».
A complete closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia, and could lead to a decline in global oil supplies by 7%.
The Iran war has already caused a massive decline in global oil flows, causing global supplies to decline by 10%. According to Reuters, Yemeni analyst Muhammad Al-Basha, founder of «Pasha Report», a risk consulting firm based in Washington, said: «The question now is whether the Houthis will start targeting ships heading to Saudi ports, at this stage, there is no clear answer». He added: «Even if no ships are attacked, the announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping traffic and create uncertainty regarding Saudi ports, and the crucial question remains whether the Houthis will shift from threat to direct action».
Saudi Arabia targeted by Houthi rebels in the past
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The [official Saudi] statement continued: «The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalls the widespread attacks previously carried out by the Houthi militia targeting the Yemeni people and infrastructure in Yemen, including targeting Aden Airport on 12/30/2020 AD and the resulting killing and wounding of dozens of martyrs and wounded, and during the period of calm it also targeted Oil export ports in southern Yemen on 10/21/2022 AD The subsequent attacks to stop the government’s ability to sell oil, which represents approximately 60% of the government’s revenues, which was directly reflected in the payment of salaries to employees, then the confiscation of 4 planes belonging to the Yemeni Airlines Company, which the militia detained at Sana’a Airport after transporting Yemeni pilgrims from Jeddah Governorate, then plunged Yemen into the conflict in the region and targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea».
Trump verbally answering new threat
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will take over the affairs of the Yemeni Houthi rebels supported by Iran, if they carry out their threat to impose a ban on Saudi ports.
Trump said while receiving Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, "If something like this happens, we will take care of it."
He added: «You know that we did this with the Houthis previously, and we have not heard anything from them for a while » after that, in reference to the strikes that Washington directed at them, before reaching an Omani-brokered agreement in May 2025.
Latest: Lebanese President Aoun stressed to Trump the urgent need for a complete Israeli withdrawal.
[الغد, independent Arabic daily published in Jordan on July 21]
