Saudi Arabia has condemned a Houthi declaration of a “maritime embargo” against the kingdom, accusing the Iran-backed group of making false claims, and warning that threats targeting shipping lanes violate international law and the freedom of navigation.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry rejected what it called the Houthis’ “allegations of the kingdom’s siege of the Yemeni people”, saying Riyadh had instead worked for years to ease Yemen’s humanitarian crisis through aid, development support and economic assistance.
It accused the Houthis of rejecting several initiatives for resuming flights from Sanaa International Airport, including one recently announced by Jordan to operate Royal Jordanian flights between Amman and Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, which the Houthis took over in 2014.
The ministry also said Saudi Arabia had supported Yemen by “continuing development projects, supporting the Yemeni government’s budget, providing fuel supplies to operate power stations”, and facilitating the entry of food, fuel and building materials through ports in northern Yemen.
The Houthis announced the maritime embargo on Monday, which the group said would take effect immediately without specifying how or where it would apply, sparking fears of further chaos for Gulf trade. The move comes in response to Houthi accusations of a Saudi blockade of Yemen.
A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, which was formed to restore Yemen's government to power in 2015, said that any claims by the Houthis of a Saudi blockade of ports and airports were “disinformation”.
The UN also denounced the Houthis' recent threats, saying they created a risk of greater regional escalation. "We call for immediate de-escalation. We urge all parties to address their differences through dialogue and diplomacy," said a spokesman for Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Analysts told The National that any blockade could be damaging for Saudi Arabia as it reroutes its oil exports via the Red Sea. The Houthis have previously attacked Red Sea shipping as part of the regional conflict, forcing ships to make costly detours.
A closure of the Bab Al Mandeb strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia and compound the disruption.
