Houthi Sea Blockade Against Saudi Arabia: Is the Next Catastrophe for Global Shipping Looming?
A source from the Iran-aligned Houthi militia has explained to Newsweek the motivation behind the group's recent intervention in the Iran war. The group, also known as Ansar Allah, warned of further actions against neighboring Saudi Arabia. On Monday (July 20), the Houthis announced a "sea blockade" against Saudi shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The strait connects the Gulf of Aden in the Pacific with the Red Sea. The group said the step was in response to Saudi restrictions on shipping and travel to Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. This justification was reiterated on Tuesday (July 21) to Newsweek.
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"Our operations are intended to impose a blockade on the Saudi enemy, in response to its years-long blockade of Yemen and the terrible suffering it has caused our people," the Houthi militia source said. "It is a blockade in response to the blockade against our country and our people." Should Riyadh strike back, the source warned of even harsher measures. The source also made clear that the group's strategy is specifically directed against Saudi ships and Saudi policy. It is not directly linked to the broader regional unrest triggered by the war against Iran started by the US and Israel in February.
"Our naval operations are currently only directed against Saudi Arabia, and any escalation on their part will be met with a similar escalation and devastating blows," the Houthi source said. "Our position is just: lifting the blockade against our country and our people, reclaiming our wealth, and ending all Saudi interference in our country."
Houthis Threaten Blockade of Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea Amid Iran War
The Houthis had already demonstrated the powerful weapon of threatening international waterways before Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade of that vital oil and gas transport waterway was imposed in response to the US-Israeli war. While Tehran's move disrupted global energy markets, the Houthis' first campaign had tectonic effects on international shipping. During the Israeli war against Hamas following the Palestinian group's attack in October 2023, the militia attacked merchant ships crossing the Red Sea.
The Suez Canal connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and the Houthi threats forced about two-thirds of container ships to take the much longer and costlier route around the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa. The Houthis also attacked Israel and US warships directly with missiles and drones. After returning to office early last year, US President Donald Trump ordered a short but intense, multi-week campaign of heavy strikes against the Houthis. This culminated in a White House-announced ceasefire in May 2025. However, the group only truly halted its attacks when a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was signed last October.
Since the resumption of the regional conflict amid the Iran war, the Houthis have launched several new series of attacks against Israel and threatened further attacks if their interests are directly targeted. The first sign of a larger conflict involving Saudi Arabia appeared last week, when the Houthis accused Riyadh of targeting a runway at Sanaa Airport. At the time, a delegation of the group's leadership was returning from the funeral of the slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which led to the first direct attacks from Yemen on Saudi Arabia in years.
Meanwhile, the US is again attacking Iran, and Iran is responding by shelling US military bases and other strategic targets in regional countries. A disruption of shipping through a second vital strait would almost certainly drive costs for the global economy even higher. This would be felt by businesses and consumers worldwide.
Saudi Arabia Condemns Houthi Blockade 'in the Strongest Terms'
The Houthis' latest steps have drawn "condemnation in the strongest terms" from the Saudi Foreign Ministry. In a statement released on Monday (July 20), it said Riyadh had supported efforts to expand Yemeni infrastructure, meet needs, and alleviate suffering, rather than sabotage them. In the "first half of 2026," Saudi Arabia said it had "facilitated the passage of more than 300 ships carrying various foodstuffs, goods, fuel, and construction materials" to Houthi-controlled ports in northern Yemen.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia accused the "terrorist Houthi militia" of hindering travel for Yemeni citizens, targeting infrastructure, and committing human rights violations. It said this was an attempt to "export the economic problems it faces and the popular rejection due to its crimes and violations by fabricating false accusations and directing them against the Kingdom."
Saudi Arabia Has Been Fighting the Houthis in Yemen Since 2015
Saudi Arabia continues to support the internationally recognized government of Yemen, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Houthis in 2015. This triggered a direct intervention by a Riyadh-led coalition. Both sides have largely been under a ceasefire since April 2022, but the country remains in a humanitarian crisis and unrest, including recent clashes between factions backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Should the Houthis resume or escalate their earlier campaign against Red Sea shipping, Saudi Arabia would find itself effectively blockaded on both coasts. This would increase pressure on the kingdom at a time when it is trying to shift its exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu to avoid Iranian attacks.
In response to the latest threats from the Houthi militia, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the country remains committed to a peaceful solution in Yemen, "but also confirms that the Kingdom will take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea." Newsweek has contacted the Saudi embassy in the United States for further comment.
Trump Under Pressure in Iran War Due to Rising Gas Prices and Munitions Shortages
Trump is already under pressure. The effective collapse of the "Memorandum of Understanding" signed between the US and Iran last month has led to a renewed rise in gas prices, a greater strain on Pentagon munitions stocks, and growing domestic frustration over the war effort. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) declined to comment to Newsweek. The Houthis have long signaled readiness to enter a direct, full-scale confrontation with the US if necessary. The militia is classified by the Trump administration as a terrorist organization, similar to other Iran-led factions of the Axis of Resistance in the conflict, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi groups like Kataib Hezbollah.
The Houthi source who spoke to Newsweek argued that any escalation could also count on significant domestic support. They pointed to scenes of jubilation during a mass rally in support of the group on Monday. The source also highlighted the US role in supporting Saudi Arabia.
"Our people have endured much Saudi injustice backed by America, and have taken to the streets by the millions in a scale unprecedented in Yemen's history to demand attacks on Saudi Arabia and the lifting of the blockade against Yemen," the Houthi source said. "After we announced the blockade against Saudi Arabia with the aim of lifting the blockade against Yemen, people poured into the streets at night in various Yemeni cities in massive and spontaneous ways, celebrating and setting off fireworks, and their celebrations lasted all night on the streets," the source added.
