Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced they are imposing a new maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in response for a recent attack on Sanaa Airport, and after years of the kingdom leading a blockade of Houthi-controlled Yemeni ports.
A military statement by Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the maritime ban on all Saudi shipping will be effective immediately in what he declared as an “equation of ‘an eye for an eye.'”
However, details of what this ’embargo’ will look like, in terms of where or what chokepoints the Houthis might seek to blockade were not given.
Last week the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen attacked the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport, threatening a fragile truce that has been in place since 2022. Saudi jets had prevented an Iranian passenger plane from landing there, after the US-Saudi recognized Yemeni government warned against any Iranian planes entering the divided country’s airspace.
Within days of that incident, the Houthis reportedly sent missiles on Saudi Arabia – which was a first after years of relative peace. In addition to unveiling the anti-Saudi embargo, the Houthis spokesman warned that if the Saudi siege on Yemen is not lifted, then Houthi armed forces will move towards a full-scale war.
Saree declared, “if Saudi Arabia turns to all-out aggression against Yemen, all of Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities and its vital facilities will be targets for missiles and drones.”
He described that the blockade of Sanaa airport “is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated” – following the Iran airline incident. Saree vowed to retaliate “to the blockade with a blockade and to respond to all escalation with escalation.”
July 13: Yemen’s internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government says its forces targeted Sanaa Airport, under Houthi control, to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing there…
Hellbound and Down 