Houthi Rebels Issue Radio Warnings to Vessels Following Red Sea Blockade Declaration

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who declared a blockade of the Red Sea targeting Saudi Arabia, sent radio warnings to vessels on the 22nd (local time), AFP reported.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) stated, "It has been recorded that the Houthis transmitted warning messages to ships in the area."

Christopher Long, head of intelligence at international risk management and maritime security firm Neptune P2P Group, also stated that the message was recorded on the 20th by a vessel located in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea.

The message sent by the Houthis is as follows.

"Attention vessels receiving on Channel 16. This is the Yemeni Navy. In accordance with the decision of the Yemeni Armed Forces dated July 20, 2026, prohibiting the navigation of Saudi vessels due to the ongoing siege against the Yemeni nation, we warn all vessels of the Saudi enemy heading to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. If you fail to comply with the decision of the Yemeni forces, those vessels will be our targets. Over."

When the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on the 20th, it raised concerns that the Red Sea, another global crude oil shipping route following the Strait of Hormuz, would be blocked.

However, the Houthi rebels have not mentioned specific methods for implementing the blockade, and there have been no cases of actual attacks on vessels so far.

Following the Houthi rebels' announcement of the maritime blockade, nine vessels turned back in the Red Sea, though some of them have since resumed operations.

Despite the Houthi threats and the rerouting of some vessels, maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is still being maintained at pre-blockade declaration levels.

According to maritime logistics tracking firm Kpler, 44 vessels passed through the strait on the 20th when the blockade was announced, and 29 vessels passed through the following day.

The maximum and minimum daily traffic volumes over the preceding five days were 53 vessels and 30 vessels, respectively.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.