Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia following a series of retaliatory attacks between the two sides last week. The announcement was made by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari, who said the blockade would take effect immediately under the principle of 'an eye for an eye.' The statement was reported by Al Jazeera on Monday.

Sari accused Saudi Arabia of maintaining an unacceptable blockade on Yemen’s Sanaa International Airport and said such actions would no longer be tolerated. He stated that the blockade would be met with a blockade and that every act of escalation would be answered with greater intensity. The Houthis claimed Saudi Arabia was responsible for an attack on Sanaa airport last week, prompting their retaliatory strike on Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Sari added that Yemen’s armed forces were fully prepared for all possible scenarios and warned that any reckless Saudi move would be met with an appropriate response. He also called on Yemenis to mobilize and support fighters on the battlefield.

Armed individuals have seized control of a chemical tanker named Asana near Yemen’s southern coast, according to maritime security sources cited by Reuters. The report indicates that unidentified armed men boarded the vessel and took control of it. The tanker’s flag state remains uncertain, and tracking data shows its next destination as Bosaso port in Somalia.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) earlier reported that unauthorized persons boarded a vessel about 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port while it was heading east through the Gulf of Aden. The incident adds to ongoing maritime security concerns in the region, where commercial vessels have faced repeated threats.

No group has claimed responsibility for the seizure, and further details about the crew or cargo condition were not immediately available.

Iran-backed Houthi forces have threatened to launch missile and drone attacks on all Saudi oil fields and key installations if Saudi Arabia becomes further involved in Yemen’s ongoing conflict. The warning came from Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi in a televised speech on Thursday, following renewed hostilities between the two sides.

Earlier in the week, Saudi Arabia carried out an airstrike on a Houthi-controlled airport in Yemen. The Houthis responded with missile attacks on Saudi targets, effectively ending a four-year ceasefire. The group has previously targeted Saudi energy infrastructure, including major oil facilities in 2019 and 2022, which caused temporary disruptions in crude production and fires at distribution centers.

The renewed threats mark a sharp escalation in a conflict that has persisted for over a decade. Yemen remains divided between the Saudi-backed government based in Aden and the Houthi administration controlling the capital, Sanaa, amid one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have accused each other of launching attacks, putting their four-year truce at serious risk. On Monday, the Houthis alleged that Saudi forces bombed Sanaa’s main international airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. The Saudi-led coalition did not comment on the claim but said Houthi forces later fired ballistic missiles toward Saudi territory, which were intercepted by air defenses. The Houthis confirmed striking Abha airport in Saudi Arabia and warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace. UN envoy Hans Grundberg expressed deep concern and said he was in contact with both sides to prevent escalation.

The renewed hostilities follow rising tensions since an Iranian plane landed in Sanaa on July 3, sparking disputes between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and the Houthis. The government admitted responsibility for Monday’s strike, saying it aimed to block another Iranian flight. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia directly, declaring the end of the de-escalation phase. The UN warned that any escalation could worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

Fighting has also resumed in Hodeidah province, raising fears that Yemen’s fragile peace could collapse entirely.

Yemeni government forces launched an attack on the runway of Sanaa International Airport on Monday, July 13, 2026, according to reports from Anadolu Agency and Iranian media. The strike prevented an Iranian aircraft from landing in the Houthi-controlled capital, forcing it to divert and land instead at Hudaydah Airport on Yemen’s western coast. The incident has further complicated the country’s ongoing conflict.

Iran’s state-run Press TV reported that the attack on the runway prompted a change in the flight plan, leading the aircraft to Hudaydah. Earlier, Yemen’s Ministry of Defense accused Houthi rebels of blocking domestic flights from landing at Sanaa while allowing an Iranian plane to enter the country’s airspace, allegedly violating national sovereignty. The government claimed the runway strike was a response to that incident.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari condemned the attack, warning that those responsible would face accountability and that the matter would not end without consequences.

Sixteen soldiers from Yemen’s government forces were killed and sixteen others injured in clashes with Houthi rebels in the western province of Hodeidah, according to officials and medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The fighting occurred in the Jabal Dabbas area and was described as one of the deadliest confrontations in recent years. Government-aligned minister Walid al-Qudaimi said the soldiers died defending their land and dignity.

Medical sources reported that sixteen bodies and twenty-two wounded soldiers were taken to a local hospital. A government military official stated that the Houthis launched an attack on Friday night, seizing several government positions, but government forces regained control of those areas early Saturday morning.

The conflict between Houthi rebels and Yemen’s internationally recognized government has continued since 2015. The Houthis currently control the capital Sanaa, much of northern Yemen, and the strategic port city of Hodeidah.

A cargo ship was attacked off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The agency reported receiving a distress signal from the vessel located about 30 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Hodeidah. The incident occurred on July 5, 2026, and authorities have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.

UKMTO has advised ships operating in the area to navigate with caution and to report any suspicious activity. The organization issued safety guidance to vessels transiting the region as part of precautionary measures following the incident.

No country or group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and details about the extent of the damage or casualties remain unknown.

Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement has threatened to strike Saudi Arabia’s airports and key installations, accusing Riyadh of violating Yemeni airspace. In a statement on Friday, July 3, the group claimed that a Saudi warplane attempted to block the landing of an Iranian civilian aircraft at Sana’a International Airport. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari warned that any further Saudi aggression would trigger ground and maritime attacks on Saudi targets.

According to Al Jazeera, Sari said the attempted intrusion occurred at 5:20 a.m. local time and was repelled by Houthi forces. He asserted that the Iranian aircraft, carrying over two hundred stranded, injured, and ill passengers, later landed safely in Sana’a and returned to Tehran with a delegation. The Houthis stated they remain ready for any confrontation and are working to break the Saudi-U.S. blockade.

The warning follows a recent large-scale prisoner exchange between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Houthis. Despite a UN-brokered truce in 2022 that reduced major clashes, tensions remain high as Yemen’s conflict continues to cause severe humanitarian suffering.

A cargo ship was attacked southwest of Balhaf, Yemen, approximately 88 nautical miles from the coast, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred when six armed individuals approached the vessel in a small boat, leading to an exchange of gunfire between the attackers and the ship’s armed security team. The small boat later turned away, and authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

UKMTO confirmed the event in a statement posted on social media platform X, noting that the confrontation ended when the attackers withdrew. No further details about casualties or damage have been released so far. Authorities have advised vessels operating in the area to maintain maximum vigilance.

The attack adds to ongoing security concerns for commercial shipping routes near Yemen, prompting renewed caution among maritime operators navigating the region.

Yemen’s Houthi military leadership has reiterated its support for Palestinian armed groups following the reported death of a senior Hamas commander in Gaza. In a message shared on Telegram, Houthi Chief of Staff Yusuf Hassan al-Madani described the death of Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad as a major loss for the Palestinian movement and the wider region.

Al-Madani stated that the Houthis’ joint efforts with Hamas and its allied groups would continue, pledging that their support would remain until victory is achieved. The message underscores the Houthis’ ongoing alignment with Palestinian factions amid continuing regional tensions.

The statement, reported by Al Jazeera, reflects the Houthis’ consistent political stance in favor of Palestinian resistance movements and signals their intent to maintain solidarity despite recent developments in Gaza.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have threatened to shut down the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The warning came from Hussein al-Ezzi, deputy foreign minister of the Houthi government, who said that if U.S. President Donald Trump continues to obstruct peace efforts, the strait could be closed. In a post on social media platform X, al-Ezzi declared that if Sanaa decides to close Bab al-Mandeb, no force could reopen it.

Al-Ezzi urged Trump and his allies to immediately end all actions and policies that hinder peace and to respect the rights of the Yemeni people and nation. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a vital global shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Suez Canal, facilitating the transport of crude oil, energy supplies, and other goods between the Gulf, the Mediterranean, and Asia.

The statement underscores the strategic importance of the strait and signals potential risks to international maritime trade if tensions escalate further.

Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel has entered its second month, with Iran continuing retaliatory attacks on U.S. installations. In solidarity with Iran, Yemen’s Houthi movement has threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to increase pressure on Israel and the United States, according to Al Jazeera.

Reporting from Sana’a, Al Jazeera’s correspondent Youssef Mawri said Houthi attacks on southern Israel have intensified. Houthi leaders declared that their operations will not stop until their conditions are met, including Israel’s acceptance of a ceasefire in Gaza and the cessation of Israel’s participation in U.S. military actions against Iran.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stated that the group still has several strategies to escalate the conflict, one of which could be the complete closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The European Union’s maritime security agency has urged all vessels to avoid Yemeni waters due to renewed threats from Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The warning follows reports that the Houthis may resume attacks on commercial ships, particularly in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The alert intensified after the group launched missiles toward Israel on Saturday and issued fresh threats of further assaults.

According to a report from the EU naval mission ‘Aspidis,’ commercial ships linked to the United States or Israel should stay away from Yemeni waters until the threat level decreases. The report classified the risk as ‘high’ for Israel-related vessels and ‘medium’ for those without direct ties to the United States or Israel.

Analysts cited in the source noted that the Houthis have not yet fully exploited their most powerful tactic—disrupting global trade through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to global trade routes. Any instability in this area could have significant repercussions for the world economy.

A Houthi-affiliated official has warned that the group may close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, effectively halting oil exports through the Red Sea. The statement, made by Houthi Information Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Mansour, described the closure as one of several options under consideration. The strait, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is about 26 kilometers wide at its narrowest point and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

According to the report, approximately 12 percent of the world’s seaborne oil passes through Bab al-Mandeb, while 20 percent moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which is under Iranian control. If both straits were closed, global oil supply disruptions could reach 32 percent. Saudi Arabia has been using its east-west pipeline as an alternative route to maintain exports and stabilize oil prices.

Mansour linked the potential closure to rising tensions involving Israel and the United States, adding that a final decision could be made soon.

Yemen’s Houthi movement has warned that it could engage in direct military intervention if specific conditions arise. Spokesperson Yahya Sari stated that their 'finger is on the trigger' for direct military involvement, according to a statement cited by Al Jazeera. He outlined five points urging the United States and Israel to respond to international diplomatic efforts to halt wars against countries within the so-called 'axis of resistance,' including Iran and Lebanon.

Sari described the ongoing aggression as unjust, oppressive, and irrational, claiming it harms global and regional stability and the economy. He called for an end to attacks on Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran, as well as the lifting of what he termed an unjust blockade on Yemen. He also demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and the assurance of humanitarian aid.

The spokesperson further warned that any new measures tightening the blockade on Yemen would provoke a direct response, signaling heightened risks of escalation in the region.