Yemen's Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia, stating their intention to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Saudi vessels. This declaration follows what the Houthis describe as an "unjust and oppressive siege" by Saudi Arabia on Yemen for nearly 12 years, accusing the kingdom of plundering resources and imposing a comprehensive blockade on Yemeni ports and airports.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, located between southwestern Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is a crucial waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, which then links to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Currently, about 7.4 million barrels per day (bpd) of petroleum transit through Bab al-Mandeb, representing approximately 7% of global oil output. This volume is a significant increase from 4.2 million bpd last year, as Saudi Arabia has diverted over 70% of its crude exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu in response to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran.
From Yanbu, approximately 4 million bpd have been shipped in recent weeks, compared to about 973,000 bpd a year earlier. This reliance on the Red Sea makes any Houthi action a major threat to global energy supplies. The full closure of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, in conjunction with the existing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, could potentially block 25% of the world's oil and gas supply, causing a severe global energy crisis. Saudi Arabia’s Petroline, an East-West pipeline, pumps about 7 million barrels of oil per day across the country to Yanbu, with oil tankers then shipping the crude through Bab al-Mandeb to Asian markets.
While the Houthis have stated their intention to close the strait to Saudi ships, details of the embargo remain vague, and it is unclear if they will move from threats to direct action. Saudi Arabia has condemned the Houthi threats, vowing to take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law. Analysts suggest that even without direct attacks, the announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping and create uncertainty for Saudi ports. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) representatives in Yemen are reportedly involved in the decision-making process regarding the closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is viewed as part of Iran's strategy to pressure the United States by increasing the cost to the global economy.
