Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement announced on Monday that it was imposing an immediate maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, raising the prospect of renewed attacks on commercial vessels and opening another potential front in the widening regional conflict.
Military spokesman Yahya Saree said the “full” embargo on Saudi maritime navigation had entered into force under the principle of “blockade for blockade.” He accused Riyadh of maintaining restrictions on Yemen’s ports and airports, seizing the country’s resources and subjecting Yemenis to a land, sea and air blockade for almost 12 years.
Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, said its forces were prepared for “all options and possible scenarios” and warned that any comprehensive Saudi escalation would be met with a severe response. The movement did not, however, explain whether the embargo applies only to Saudi-owned or Saudi-flagged vessels, or to every ship calling at Saudi ports. It also gave no geographical limits or enforcement procedures. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that Saudi Arabia had not immediately responded.
The lack of operational detail means the announcement should not yet be treated as confirmation that Bab el-Mandeb has been closed. Nevertheless, its strategic importance is considerable. Ansar Allah controls much of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and has previously demonstrated its ability to strike vessels with missiles, drones and remotely operated boats. Its earlier campaign forced major carriers to divert ships around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing voyage times, insurance premiums and freight costs.
The new threat is particularly serious for Saudi Arabia because the kingdom has increasingly relied on its East-West Pipeline to bypass disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline can transport up to seven million barrels of crude per day from Saudi Arabia’s eastern oilfields to Yanbu on the Red Sea, with about five million barrels potentially available for export, according to a recent Reuters report.
Consequently, a route intended to protect Saudi exports from a Hormuz crisis could itself become vulnerable if Ansar Allah begins targeting tankers serving Yanbu or other Saudi Red Sea ports. Ships sailing south from those terminals must approach Bab el-Mandeb, while northbound traffic remains dependent on safe passage through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
The declaration follows the sharp deterioration of a de facto Saudi-Houthi truce that had largely held since 2022. Ansar Allah fired missiles towards Saudi Arabia last week after accusing Riyadh of bombing Sanaa airport, marking its first claimed attacks on the kingdom in four years.
It also comes as Iran and the United States exchange attacks across the region. Reuters reported that Tehran had pressed Ansar Allah to threaten Bab el-Mandeb, potentially placing both the Gulf and Red Sea energy corridors under simultaneous pressure.
For now, the announcement is a declaration of intent rather than proof of an effective blockade. But even selective attacks—or uncertainty over which vessels might be targeted—could be enough to deter shipping companies, disrupt Saudi oil exports and send another shock through global trade and energy markets.