Yemen’s Houthi group on Monday declared an immediate maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. In a televised statement broadcast on the group’s Al-Masirah television, military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that a ban on Saudi-linked maritime navigation had officially entered into force from the moment the statement was issued.
Saree warned that any future military escalation by Saudi Arabia would be met with a comprehensive and severe response from the group. As of the time of the announcement, there was no immediate comment or reaction from Saudi Arabian authorities regarding the Houthi declaration.
The escalation follows events last week when the Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia of launching an airstrike on the Sanaa airport, prompting the group to fire ballistic missiles toward Saudi territory and shattering years of relative calm. While Riyadh remained silent on the accusation, Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed responsibility for the airport strike, stating that the operation was carried out to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing in violation of Yemeni territory.
