Yemen's Houthis deny they closed Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Skip next section Houthis on Saudi maritime blockade: 'There is no closure of Bab al-Mandeb' 07/24/2026 July 24, 2026 Houthis on Saudi maritime blockade: 'There
Skip next section Houthis on Saudi maritime blockade: 'There is no closure of Bab al-Mandeb' 07/24/2026 July 24, 2026 Houthis on Saudi maritime blockade: 'There is no closure of Bab al-Mandeb' Yemen's Houthi rebel group has denied that it is completely closing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. "There is no closure of Bab al-Mandeb as some are suggesting," Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdusalam posted on X. He said the group is just engaged in a "naval blockade targeting only the Saudi side." The Houthis have alleged that Saudi Arabia is sieging Yemeni areas that the group controls, and in turn have begun their "naval blockade" of Saudi vessels.
Iran war: Analyzing the Houthi blockade against Saudi Arabia To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Houthis are an Iran-backed group and designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Canada and several other countries. They control large swathes of western and northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the coastline along the Red Sea. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
It is a particularly important passageway for Saudi Arabia to export its crude oil. Insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz has caused Saudi Arabia to shift its oil exports to the western port city of Yanbu, where the crude is then shipped via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Crude prices in recent days have temporarily spiked above $100 (almost €88) for the first time since May due to the crises both in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb. Houthis claim attacks on Saudi tankers in Red Sea To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Houthis have claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in recent days.
The EU naval operation ASPIDES has raised its threat level in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait for merchant ships, and said the risk of escalation remains high.
The BriefWire