Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have stated that they do not intend to completely block maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthi spokesperson and chief negotiator, stated on the 24th local time regarding the recent declaration of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia that "we have not blocked ship traffic in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait."

He went on to emphasize, "There is no such thing as a total closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as some have suggested," adding, "This measure is limited strictly to a restricted maritime blockade that affects only Saudi Arabia."

Blaming Saudi Arabia for the bombing of the Yemeni capital Sanaa's airport on the 20th, the Houthi rebels declared an end to the four-year-old truce and subsequently announced a comprehensive maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia as a retaliatory measure.

Three days after declaring the maritime blockade, the Houthis announced that they carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi Arabian oil tankers on the 23rd.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)