Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemen's Houthi (Ansarallah) movement on Sunday blocked Saudi vessels from transiting the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, reaffirming that the shipping ban it previously imposed on the Kingdom remains in force.

In remarks to Al-Mayadeen Television, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the group's Political Bureau, claimed that 16 Saudi vessels were denied passage through the waterway between Monday and Sunday, while three Saudi oil tankers came under attack during the previous 48 hours.

Earlier this week, Ansarallah declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia under the slogan "siege for siege." The group also warned that any Saudi actions it viewed as reckless would trigger a broad and severe escalation.

Located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea and serving as a gateway to the Suez Canal —one of the world's main trade arteries linking Europe and Asia— the Bab al-Mandab Strait is 29 km (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point. It is considered one of the world's most important shipping routes and a key corridor for global energy shipments, accounting for around 15% of global maritime trade.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, has long relied on the corridor to access international markets.