Yemen's Houthi movement has announced a maritime embargo targeting Saudi Arabia, declaring it will close the Bab al-Mandab Strait — the 32-kilometre-wide waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden — to Saudi vessels. The move, framed by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree as retaliation for a Saudi-imposed blockade on Houthi-controlled ports and airports, poses a direct threat to Saudi oil exports at a critical moment: with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed amid the ongoing US-Iran war, Riyadh has rerouted more than 70% of its crude exports through its Red Sea port of Yanbu, shipping roughly four million barrels per day. Analysts warn that even if no ships are immediately attacked, the embargo declaration alone is likely to disrupt shipping and inject further uncertainty into global energy markets already strained by conflict at both of the region's key maritime chokepoints; the UN secretary-general's spokesman cautioned that the threat risks triggering an
Mosaic News
Houthis declare maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, threatening Red Sea oil route[Updated]
Oil prices crossed $100 a barrel for the first time since late May on Thursday, with Brent crude rising more than 6% to $100.65 a barrel as markets absorbed the combined disruption to both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab. The Encelia sent out an SOS reporting it had been struck by a missile near the Saudi port of Jizan, while the fate of the Layla remained unconfirmed by Saudi authorities. Iran separately announced it had stopped three tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Analysts warn that oil could climb as high as $120 a barrel, with knock-on effects for consumer inflation in the UK, US, and other import-dependent economies, as global gas benchmark prices have also risen sharply, with the UK standard rate now near $1.99 per thermal unit compared with $1.30 at the end of June.
The Houthis escalated from embargo enforcement to direct military action Wednesday, claiming missile, cruise missile, and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, which Yahya Saree said violated the blockade. Saudi Arabia's Transport General Authority confirmed the Encelia was hit, adding that its crew were safe, while the UK's Maritime Trade Operations centre independently reported receiving word of a tanker struck by an unknown projectile that caused an onboard fire. The EU's naval force Aspides subsequently recommended that all merchant vessels with Israeli, US, or Saudi connections avoid the Red Sea entirely, a significant broadening of the cautionary scope beyond Saudi-flagged ships alone.
The embargo's immediate impact became tangible on its first day of enforcement, with at least seven oil tankers turning back from the Bab al-Mandab Strait rather than risk transit. Among them was the Lia, an oil tanker operated by Dutch shipping company Marwave, which confirmed to Dutch broadcaster Nieuwsuur that it could not guarantee crew safety and reversed course in the Red Sea north of the strait. Brent crude rose 2% to $91 a barrel following the disruption. The Houthis also sent direct email warnings to shipping companies operating in the region, while US President Trump stated that Washington would respond if merchant vessels come under attack.