Geo
Published Jul 20, 2026Updated Jul 21 Major12
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Houthis declare maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia; Trump says no recent Red Sea threat
Yemen's Houthi group declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, citing a 12-year Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled areas and following a Saudi-backed airstrike on Sanaa International Airport. The Houthis announced they would close the Bab al-Mandab Strait to Saudi vessels and warned that ships trading with Saudi ports could face military action. The Saudi-led coalition vowed to protect shipping in the strait with decisive force, while the UN urged de-escalation and dialogue.
Quick Facts
- Houthis declared maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia
- Houthis announced closure of Bab al-Mandab Strait to Saudi vessels
- Houthis warned vessels trading with Saudi ports could be targeted
- Saudi-backed Yemeni government struck Sanaa International Airport runway
- Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Abha International Airport
Yemen's Houthi group announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, citing a 12-year Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled ports and airports. The announcement followed a Saudi-backed Yemeni government airstrike on Sanaa International Airport on July 13, which the Houthis blamed on Riyadh and said was aimed at preventing an Iranian aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation from landing. In response, the Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport.
The Houthi military spokesman declared the Bab al-Mandab Strait—a critical chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden—closed to Saudi vessels. A Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center advisory on July 21 further warned that international vessels loading or unloading cargo at Saudi ports could face military targeting. The embargo invokes what the group termed an "eye for an eye" principle in response to years of Saudi restrictions on Houthi-controlled areas.
The Saudi-led coalition responded by vowing to protect commercial shipping in the strait and warned that any Houthi threats would be met with "firm and decisive" action, characterizing the blockade as maritime piracy and a violation of international law. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on Red Sea exports since the Strait of Hormuz became a contested corridor; approximately 4 million barrels per day were shipped from the Red Sea port of Yanbu in recent weeks, compared to 973,000 barrels per day a year earlier.
The UN secretary-general's spokesman expressed concern about the escalation and called for de-escalation through dialogue, warning that a closure of the Red Sea would severely impact humanitarian shipments and global commerce. Kuwait and Qatar rejected the Houthi move and reaffirmed support for freedom of navigation. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg engaged in discussions in Oman and Saudi Arabia aimed at preserving the gains of a 2022 UN-brokered truce.
On July 21, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the Houthis have posed no recent challenge in the Red Sea and that U.S. forces would respond if necessary. Analysts noted that while the practical enforcement of the blockade remains uncertain, the declaration risks reigniting full-scale conflict and testing the fragile Saudi-Iran diplomatic thaw restored in 2023. The Bab al-Mandab Strait handled approximately 4.1 billion barrels of crude oil and refined petroleum products in 2024, equivalent to about 5 percent of global crude and refined petroleum flows.
Why This Matters
The Bab al-Mandab Strait handles approximately 5 percent of global crude and refined petroleum flows (4.1 billion barrels in 2024); a closure would directly affect energy supply chains to Europe, Asia, and global markets. Saudi Arabia has doubled Red Sea exports to 4 million barrels per day since 2023, making the route critical to its energy revenue. Houthi enforcement of the embargo risks military escalation between the Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian-aligned group, threatening the 2022 UN-brokered ceasefire and potentially disrupting humanitarian assistance to Yemen. The declaration also tests the 2023 Saudi-Iran diplomatic agreement and creates operational uncertainty for international shipping lines.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2014
WireHouthis seized Yemen's capital Sanaa
Sep 21, 2014
WireHouthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen
Jul 21, 2026
WireHouthis issued detailed advisory warning vessels trading with Saudi ports risk targeting
Jul 21, 2026
WireKuwait condemned Houthi threats and reaffirmed solidarity with Saudi Arabia
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Sources
- Yemen's Houthis announce 'maritime embargo' against Saudi ArabiaBBCMediaJul 20, 2026
- Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen declare maritime embargo against Saudi ArabiaCNBCMediaJul 20, 2026
- Yemen’s Houthis declare naval blockade of Saudi Arabia: What to knowAl JazeeraMediaJul 20, 2026
- Explainer: Will the Houthi maritime ban upend Red Sea security, test Saudi-Iran detente?xinhuaMediaJul 20, 2026
- Saudi-led coalition warns Houthis of responding to their threats to ships in Bab El MandebtassMediaJul 20, 2026
- Saudi-led coalition vows to protect Red Sea shipping after Houthi maritime banxinhuaMediaJul 20, 2026
- UN urges de-escalation after renewed Houthi threats against Saudi ArabiaxinhuaMediaJul 20, 2026
- Kuwait condemns Houthi maritime threats, backs Saudi ArabiaxinhuaMediaJul 21, 2026
- Houthi actions could reignite full-scale war in Yemen — experttassMediaJul 21, 2026
- Houthis warn vessels calling at Saudi ports risk being targetedxinhuaMediaJul 21, 2026
- Urgent: Trump says Houthis pose no recent challenge in Red SeaxinhuaMediaJul 21, 2026
- Trump says Houthis pose no recent challenge in Red SeaxinhuaMediaJul 21, 2026