UK condemns Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia
The UK has issued a statement strongly condemning “recent Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia, including plans to impose a maritime blockade“.
“These provocations risk further regional instability, endanger freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, and undermine efforts to secure peace in Yemen,” the statement cited a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson as saying.
“We stand firmly with Saudi Arabia, and other partners within the region, in the face of these threats and call on the Houthis to immediately cease their escalatory actions.”
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UAE condemns Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia
The UAE has condemned the Houthis’ threat to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, warning that it could undermine freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry called for the enforcement of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia.
As we’ve been reporting, the latest escalation began when Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces struck the runway at Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack and responded by firing missiles and drones towards the kingdom’s Abha airport.
The Houthis also announced that a blockade on Saudi shipping would take effect immediately, describing the move as a response to what they call a Saudi-imposed land, sea and air siege on Yemen. The group said it was applying a policy of “blockade for blockade”.
Saudi Arabia has rejected those allegations, saying more than 300 vessels carrying food, fuel and other goods entered Houthi-controlled ports during the first half of 2026. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has promised to respond “firmly” and says it has begun measures to protect ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for Saudi oil exports and international trade.
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Pakistan ‘deeply concerned’ over Houthi attempts to drag Saudi Arabia into war
Pakistan says it is “deeply concerned” by attempts to pull Saudi Arabia into the Iran war, and it has condemned threats by Yemen’s Houthis against the kingdom amid their naval blockade, which could impact importers of Saudi oil.
“Pakistan unequivocally condemns the continued threats issued by the Houthi militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Such actions threaten regional security, undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order and jeopardize uninterrupted flow of global commerce.”
“Pakistan is also deeply concerned over attempts to drag the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into the conflict in the Middle East and reiterates its unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the ministry added.
Pakistan is a close security partner of Saudi Arabia.
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This is a complete false perception, as Saudi Arabia itself acted to respond to an arriving plane with a Ashura-Houthi delegation on board, which returned from Khamenei's funeral but was prevented from landing.
The Houthis saw the bombardment of Sana'a Airport as to blockade the airport and decided to react likewise by blocking Saudi shipping from passing the Bab al-Mandeb.
Pakistan is just makes this false perception because of its military ties with Saudi Arabia. The Houthi blockade is just a shot by the Saudis in their own foot.
Then, Saudi Arabia is a co-belligerent of the US as it is allowing the war belligerent to gather intelligence for the war on Iran from its Prince Sultan Airbase.
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Can Suez Canal offer alternative route to Asian oil consumers?
Two tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia have reversed course in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi ports, raising fears that disruptions to another of the world’s most important shipping routes could further restrict global oil supplies.
Their movements are the first visible sign that the Houthi threat is beginning to affect Saudi oil exports. They also expose a growing weakness in Riyadh’s efforts to protect its energy trade from the United States-Israel war on Iran.
Asian refiners are now considering an exceptionally long diversion: sending oil northwest from Yanbu, through Egypt’s Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean, before sailing around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, and on to Asia.
So, the Suez Canal offer a route that cannot carry oil quickly and affordably enough to prevent a deeper supply shock for Asian consumers while preventing oil prices from spiking to above $100 a barrel.
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Yemen’s Houthis claim attacks on Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthis say they carried out missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after declaring a maritime embargo on the kingdom.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the Houthis said that they “carried out a qualitative military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers that violated the blockade”, naming the vessels as the Encelia and the Layla.
As we reported earlier, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations centre said that it had received reports of a tanker being struck 70 nautical miles (130km) from Saudi Arabia’s town of Al Shuqaiq.
The Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
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