Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, has announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, AzerNEWS reports, citing a statement posted on its Telegram channel.
The group’s spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the move was a response to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemeni ports and airstrikes targeting Sanaa International Airport.
“Our people cannot remain silent. They have every right to resist this unjust blockade by all available means,” Saree said.
The announcement came just days after the first armed confrontation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia in several years.
The latest development comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. The current escalation between the United States and Iran began on July 8, when U.S. forces carried out several rounds of strikes on Iranian territory, saying the attacks were in response to an assault on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the end of the ceasefire with Iran.
In response, Tehran launched strikes against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, further raising regional tensions.