Houthi rebels in Yemen have announced a new naval blockade of a key Middle East shipping lane, FreightWaves reported.
In a social media post on 20 July, the Houthis linked the action at the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea to what they claimed was a siege by Saudi Arabia and warned of escalation if Riyadh retaliated, the report on the same date said.
Previous Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea in late 2023 in support of Gaza had led to a drop in grain and oilseed shipments at the Suez Canal, with shipping companies forced to re-route around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa to avoid the strikes, Anadolu news agency reported in January 2024. Due to ships taking longer routes, freight rates had increased and deliveries had been delayed.
According to World Trade Organization (WTO) data, in the first half of January 2024, grain and oilseeds volumes through the Red Sea were 0.9M tonnes lower, down threefold year-on-year and 63% compared to the three-year average for that period.
Houthi actions against shipping eased off in 2025 as key backer Iran’s focus was on its own domestic issues, and major carriers had only just recently announced a return of scheduled services to the key shipping lane connecting Asia with the Mediterranean, Europe and North America, FreightWaves wrote.
In their social media post, the Houthis said the latest maritime embargo was a response to an “unjust and oppressive siege” and that they were ready for “all options,” while urging further mobilisation. They also warned that any Saudi “foolish act” would be met with a “comprehensive and decisive” response.
The Houthi blockade raised the risk of wider disruption in the Red Sea and nearby shipping lanes, particularly as Saudi Arabia was a major energy exporter and maritime traffic through the region was of strategic importance, the report said.
