The Iran-backed Houthi group, which controls vast swathes of Yemen, has announced an immediate maritime embargo on shipping linked to Saudi Arabia, warning that Saudi commercial vessels and oil exports transiting the Red Sea and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait could be targeted if hostilities intensify.
In a statement issued on Monday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was imposing the ban under an "eye for an eye" principle, describing it as retaliation for what it called Saudi aggression against Yemen, including strikes on Sana'a International Airport.
The Houthis said the blockade would take effect immediately and remain in force unless Saudi Arabia halted its actions.
The group also called for nationwide mobilisation, urging supporters to join the armed struggle and remain prepared for "all scenarios and developments."
It warned that any further Saudi military escalation would trigger a "comprehensive and harsh" response.
The announcement follows a sharp flare-up in tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition last week, when Sana'a International Airport and Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport came under attack, raising concerns over the durability of the fragile truce that has largely held since 2022.
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The move could complicate Saudi Arabia's efforts to secure its oil exports.
Riyadh has increasingly relied on its East-West Pipeline, which transports crude to Red Sea ports, as an alternative route amid persistent uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis have previously targeted more than 100 commercial vessels in the Red Sea during the Israel-Hamas war.
It remains unclear whether the group intends to launch sustained attacks on Saudi-linked shipping or is using the threat as leverage in the long-stalled Yemen conflict.
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