Houthi blockade of Saudi Arabia
| Houthi blockade of Saudi Arabia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Red Sea crisis and 2026 Iran war | |||
| Date | 20 July 2026 – present | ||
| Location | Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Saudi Arabian airspace and waters | ||
| Caused by | Saudi airstrike on Sanaa International Airport (13 July 2026); long-standing Saudi-led restrictions on Houthi-held ports and airports | ||
| Goals | Houthi demand for the lifting of restrictions on Houthi-controlled ports and airports | ||
| Methods | Naval blockade, missile and drone strikes, airspace warnings to commercial airlines | ||
| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Parties | |||
| Lead figures | |||
Mohammed bin Salman (Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia) | |||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| Indian-flagged ship sunk[1] | |||
Houthi blockade of Saudi Arabia refers to a maritime and aerial embargo declared by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia on 20 July 2026.[2][3] It marked a major escalation between the Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition, ending a roughly four-year period of relative calm that had held since a 2022 UN-brokered truce in the Yemeni civil war.[4]
Background
Since the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014, Yemen has been divided between the Houthi-controlled north and areas held by the internationally recognized government (IRG), backed since 2015 by a Saudi-led military coalition.[5] A 2022 UN-brokered truce substantially reduced large-scale fighting, though Saudi Arabia continued restricting access to Houthi-held ports and Sanaa International Airport, a policy the Houthis have long described as a blockade of Houthi.[6][4]
Regional tensions rose sharply in 2026 amid the wider conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February 2026 at the start of the US–Israeli war on Iran, a Houthi delegation travelled to Tehran for his funeral aboard an Iranian aircraft.[7] When the aircraft attempted to return the delegation to Sanaa, Saudi Arabia struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport on 13 July 2026 to prevent the landing, acting at the request of the IRG; the aircraft was diverted instead to the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.[8][7]
In response, the Houthis launched missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia the same day.[9][10] Houthi officials said the group considered itself entitled to strike Saudi airports and impose a "siege" on the kingdom, equating this with restrictions Saudi Arabia had long imposed on the Houthis.[10]
Declaration of the blockade
On 20 July 2026, Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesman, announced in a televised statement that the Houthis were imposing a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, describing the move as based on the principle of "an eye for an eye."[2][11] Officials did not initially specify which vessels would be targeted, though they indicated that ships calling at Saudi ports or carrying Saudi oil could be at risk.[12] The group also warned that any Saudi military response would be met with a "comprehensive and decisive" escalation and called on supporters to mobilize for a wider confrontation.[12]
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi had earlier threatened Saudi oil facilities directly following the Abha airport strike.[4]
Strategic and economic context
The blockade threatened shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, which had become an increasingly important export route for Saudi Arabia.[2][13] Saudi Arabia had been routing a growing share of its oil exports, reportedly around 70 percent, through Red Sea ports such as Yanbu, partly as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had closed amid its conflict with the United States.[2][13] Analysts estimated that a full closure of Bab-el-Mandeb could remove as much as 7 percent of global oil supply from the market, compounding disruptions from reduced flows through Hormuz.[2][11]
The Houthis had previously conducted an extended campaign against Red Sea shipping beginning in late 2023, during which they reportedly reached informal understandings allowing Russian and Chinese vessels safe passage; the Atlantic Council noted that comparable arrangements might not extend to vessels carrying Saudi oil to Chinese markets.[13]
Reactions
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry condemned the Houthi announcement, rejected characterizations of its restrictions on Houthi-held territory as a "siege," and stated it would take necessary measures to protect shipping.[6]
International
The UN Security Council held an emergency session to discuss the escalation, with members expressing concern about the risk of wider regional conflict.[12] Shipping insurers raised premiums for vessels transiting the Red Sea following the announcement.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ "Projectile sinks Indian-flagged ship off Yemen coast". www.bbc.com. 4 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Houthis announce blockade on Saudi Arabia, ramping up Red Sea tensions". The Hill. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "Yemen's Houthis to Impose Maritime Blockade on Saudi Arabia". Bloomberg. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Yemen's Unsteady Stalemate". Foreign Policy. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "Houthis announce attack on Saudi airport". The Free Press Journal. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Saudi Arabia slams Houthi blockade: How will rest of the world be impacted?". Al Jazeera. 21 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Tension rising as Yemen gov't attacks Sanaa airport, Houthis fire missiles". Al Jazeera. 13 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "Riyadh Strikes Houthi-Controlled Airport To Block Flight From Iran". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 15 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "In major escalation, Yemen's Houthis target Saudi Arabia's Abha airport". The Times of Israel. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Leading Houthi threatens 'siege' on Saudi Arabia after Yemen airport attack". Al Jazeera. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Yemen's Houthis declare naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, widening threat to global oil supplies". NBC News. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Yemen's Houthis declare naval blockade of Saudi Arabia: What to know". Al Jazeera. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "The Houthis just announced a blockade on Saudi Arabia. What does it mean for the global economy?". Atlantic Council. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
