Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels say they will block Saudi shipping

Key Points:

• Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, targeting the Bab al-Mandeb strait in retaliation for a decade-long Saudi blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport.
• The Bab al-Mandeb strait is a critical global shipping route, handling about 12% of world trade and a quarter of container traffic to and from the Suez Canal, raising concerns about potential disruptions to international commerce.
• Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition against the Houthis and has maintained a blockade on Yemen since 2015, vowed to keep the waterway open and condemned the Houthi threats as maritime piracy.
• The embargo follows escalating tensions after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking a flight carrying Houthi leaders from Iran, leading to missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and threatening the fragile 2022 truce.
• The Houthis’ military capabilities have been strained due to dwindling Iranian weapons supplies amid the Iran war, but they remain prepared for further escalation, while disruptions to the Bab al-Mandeb could force costly rerouting of global shipping around Africa.