Yemen’s Houthi rebels have warned international shipping companies against loading or unloading cargo at Saudi Arabian ports, threatening to attack any vessel that violates the directive.
The warning was contained in an email dated July 20, which was reportedly sent to several global shipping companies. In the message, the Iran-aligned group declared that all commercial vessels are prohibited from conducting cargo operations at any Saudi port.
The Houthis warned that ships failing to comply with the order would become legitimate military targets and could be attacked anywhere within the operational range of the group’s forces.
On Monday, the rebels also announced what they described as a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, a move that could further escalate regional tensions involving the United States and Iran while disrupting global trade and driving oil prices even higher.
“All ships are prohibited from loading or unloading cargo at any Saudi Arabian port,” the Houthi statement said.
The group urged ship owners, operators and captains to exercise extreme caution before engaging in any activity involving Saudi ports, insisting that the new restrictions took effect on July 20 and would be strictly enforced.
According to the statement issued by the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), which is based in Sana’a, any vessel that ignores the directive will face consequences.
“Ships violating this order will be subject to sanctions and will be targeted wherever they are within the operational reach of our forces in Yemen,” the statement warned.
Analysts say that if shipping through the southern Red Sea is significantly disrupted, Saudi Arabia could lose an important alternative maritime route to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil transit chokepoints.
Such a development could heighten concerns over disruptions to global oil supplies and the movement of other essential goods, placing additional pressure on international markets.
Commercial shipping traffic in the Red Sea has not fully recovered since the Houthis began attacking merchant vessels in November 2023, claiming they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza.
The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) has previously been used by the Houthis to issue warnings and directives to the maritime industry throughout the campaign targeting commercial vessels between 2023 and 2025.
The group suspended most of its attacks following a Gaza ceasefire agreement reached in October last year, but the latest warning suggests the rebels are once again seeking to demonstrate their ability to disrupt international shipping routes.
Sources from one of the shipping companies that received the email said the message indicates that the Houthis remain determined to project their influence over maritime traffic in the region, raising fresh concerns among shipping operators and global trade stakeholders.
Leave a comment