Yemen Declares Naval Blockade On Saudi Arabia | Red Sea Crisis Explained

Описание: Yemen's Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, shattering a United Nations brokered truce that had held for four years. The escalation follows a strike on Sanaa International Airport, an attack that Yemen's internationally recognized government claimed responsibility for, saying it acted to stop an Iranian aircraft from landing in the Houthi held capital.

Saudi Arabia has rejected the Houthi accusations outright. In a statement issued on 20 July 2026, the Kingdom's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has not besieged Yemen, pointing to more than 300 ships that reached northern Yemeni ports during the first half of 2026 carrying food, fuel and construction materials, alongside continued support for the recognized government's budget and power plants. Riyadh says it is enforcing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, which bars weapons from reaching the Houthis.

This video breaks down how the conflict reached this point, from the Houthi seizure of Sanaa in 2014 and the coalition intervention in 2015, through the 2022 truce, to the collapse of July 2026. It also covers the international legal picture, including Resolution 2722 on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Security Council's condemnation of attacks on civilian shipping.

The stakes reach far beyond Yemen. A full closure of the Bab el Mandeb strait would cut Saudi oil exports to Asia and could remove roughly 7 percent of global oil supply from the market.

The Houthis dispute Saudi Arabia's account and describe the situation as an unjust siege on Yemen. Both positions are presented in this report.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement dated 20 July 2026.

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