Houthi Rebels Declare "Blockade of Red Sea"... Red Light for Red Sea Following Hormuz

[Anchor]

The pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have declared a blockade of the Red Sea region in response to attacks by Saudi Arabia. There are growing concerns that the global oil supply chain could face another major blow.

Paris correspondent Kwon Yeongin reports.

[Reporter]

The pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia yesterday (July 20).

The Houthi rebels stated that this is a retaliatory measure against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces' attack last week on Sanaa Airport, which is currently under Houthi control.

[Saree / Houthi Spokesperson: We declare, in accordance with the principle of 'blockade for blockade,' that we will prohibit maritime navigation for Saudi Arabia, and this will take effect immediately.]

While they did not mention specific details regarding the blockade, they emphasized that they would respond to Saudi Arabia's hostile acts with further escalation.

The Houthi rebels, who occupy a significant portion of the Yemeni territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—the gateway to the Red Sea—previously attacked over 100 ships passing through the Red Sea during the Gaza war in 2023, claiming to support Hamas.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict between the United States and Iran, which led to the control of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has been pursuing plans to export crude oil through ports along the Red Sea.

If the Houthi rebels actually attempt to control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, it could disrupt not only Saudi Arabia's oil exports but also shipping operations along the Red Sea route, which accounts for 7% of the global oil supply.

The Houthi rebels limited their declaration of a blockade to Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia has yet to release an official statement regarding the matter.

However, with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remaining unresolved, any further escalation in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels could lead to serious military clashes to secure the Red Sea shipping route.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.