Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia warned that it would respond “firmly.”
The Houthis’ armed forces in a statement said they were declaring “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately.”
A full closure of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia and could reduce global oil supply by 7%.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen vowed to respond. They are taking steps to protect ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
“Such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy,” the Saudi coalition said in a statement.
They have begun protecting shipping through the Strait.
NEW: Saudi Arabia denounced the Houthis’ threat to blockade the Kingdom by sea, warning that Riyadh will take action to protect Saudi vessels. pic.twitter.com/xOUKkMjlOl
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 20, 2026
Allowing one country to block international waters and global shipping sets a dangerous precedent.
Months before recent developments, this energy executive warned about the growing risks stemming from the the closure of Hormuz.
His message on how this sets a dangerous precedence now carries even greater significance and relevance. See below. pic.twitter.com/Rie7vezFPQ
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarino) July 17, 2026
