Houthis Blockade Red Sea Shipping Following Iranian Escalation
Houthi militants launched a maritime blockade and attacked Saudi energy facilities after Iran activated proxies to disrupt shipping at the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
The Government of Iran activated Houthi proxies in Yemen to disrupt global shipping at the Bab el-Mandeb strait, creating a second maritime chokepoint to complement existing tensions at the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation began when Tehran flew a sanctioned aircraft into Sanaa airport, prompting the internationally recognized government of Yemen, supported by Saudi Arabia, to crater the runway. In retaliation, the Houthis launched a maritime blockade against Saudi-linked ships and conducted missile and drone strikes on government-controlled cities and military sites in eastern Yemen, including the port of al-Makha.
Coordinated attacks targeted Saudi Aramco oil refineries in Jazan and Yanbu, while Iraqi militias launched drone strikes on energy facilities in Riyadh and the Eastern Province. These actions drove Brent crude prices above $100 a barrel. A Houthi missile strike on the cargo ship Tihamah in the Red Sea killed at least six people; the Yemeni Transport Ministry stated the vessel carried food supplies, though the Houthis claimed it transported Saudi military equipment.
In response, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, rejected a return to previous truce models. Saudi Arabia has shifted to a proactive security posture, forming a new international shipping alliance and signing joint defense agreements with Pakistan and Turkiye. Reports indicate Iran requested the Houthis prepare to close Red Sea oil routes as leverage against the United States and Saudi Arabia during a U.S. election cycle.
