Saudi Arabia on Monday pushed back against claims made by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, rejecting what it called false allegations that the kingdom was blockading the Yemeni people — this after the Houthis announced they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi armed forces issued a statement declaring “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately,” citing what they described as “an unjust and oppressive siege” carried out by Saudi Arabia against Yemen.
The Saudi foreign ministry fired back, calling the Houthi military spokesperson’s claims baseless. The ministry said Saudi Arabia would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its ships and maritime interests.
The Houthi announcement opens a potential new front against the United States in its ongoing conflict with Iran and adds to growing concerns about threats to global energy supplies and trade routes beyond the Gulf region.
Yemen has been locked in civil war for more than ten years, dating back to when the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa. That takeover prompted a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene in 2015 in defense of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Over the years, the conflict has deteriorated into one of the planet’s most severe humanitarian disasters. Today, the country remains divided, with a Saudi-backed government operating out of Aden and a Houthi-run administration controlling Sanaa.
Despite the blockade claims, shipping records show that cargo vessels have continued arriving at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah in recent weeks, delivering food, fuel, and other essential goods.
