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Saudi Arabia condemns Houthi maritime blockade claims, vows to protect ships
The Yemen conflict has since evolved into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises
- PUBLISHED: Tue 21 Jul 2026, 9:29 AM UPDATED: Tue 21 Jul 2026, 1:40 PM
[Editor's Note: For the latest updates on how US-Iran hostilities have escalated since a 14-point deal was signed on June 12, follow the Khaleej Times live blog.]
Saudi Arabia on Monday condemned what it described as allegations by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis that the Kingdom was besieging the Yemeni people, after the group claimed imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the United States in its war with Iran and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.
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The Saudi foreign ministry said the Kingdom would take "all necessary measures" to protect its ships.
Following the Houthi claims, the Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki issued a statement, saying that the coalition has initiated the implementation of protection measures for Coalition vessels transiting through Bab al-Mandab Strait.
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"The claims regarding the closure of Yemeni ports and airports fall under Houthi fallacies and escalations against the Yemeni Government and neighboring countries. This Houthi blockade narrative is false," he said.
All Houthi threats against transiting vessels will be dealt with swiftly and firmly, as such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy
Official Spokesperson Of The Coalition To Restore Legitimacy In Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki
Al-Malki added that during the first half of 2026, more than 300 commercial vessels entered the ports of Hodeida, Salif, and Ras Isa carrying foodstuffs, goods, oil, and construction materials. The Houthi militia, he said, are the ones who caused the closure of Sana'a International Airport, destroyed the Yemenia Airways fleet, and refused all initiatives to resume flights to and from the airport.
In their statement, the Houthis' armed forces claimed imposing a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia "based on the equation of 'an eye for an eye', effective immediately" in response to what they called "an unjust and oppressive siege" imposed on Yemen by the Saudis.
Yemen has been mired in civil war for more than a decade since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
The conflict has since evolved into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, leaving the country divided between a Saudi-backed government in Aden and a Houthi administration in Sanaa.
Cargo ships and other vessels have regularly arrived at the port of Houthi-controlled Hodeidah, including in recent weeks, delivering food fuel and other goods, according to shipping data.