Saudi Arabia condemns the Houthi threats to navigation and pledges to protect its ships

SadaNews - Saudi Arabia condemned the threats from the Houthi group in Yemen against navigation, committing to protect the kingdom's ships and continue supporting the Yemeni people, while the "Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen" confirmed that it would respond to the Houthi threats to passing ships "with firmness and strength".

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed in a statement issued on Monday its "strong condemnation of the allegations made by the so-called military spokesperson of the Houthi terrorist militia, accusing the kingdom of besieging the brotherly Yemeni people and imposing a naval blockade on the kingdom".

The kingdom affirmed in the statement that it has worked in recent years with the legitimate Yemeni government to "alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, including the continuation of development projects, supporting the Yemeni government's budget, and providing oil derivatives to operate electricity stations".

It added: "Ports in northern Yemen (Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Issa) received more than 300 ships carrying various foodstuffs, goods, fuel, and building materials during the first half of 2026, while continuing to operate under Security Council Resolution 2216, which prevents the entry of weapons and ammunition that the Houthi militia attempts to smuggle into Yemen to prolong its control over the resources of the Yemeni people".

The Saudi statement pointed out that "the Houthi militia has dragged Yemen into conflict in the region and targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea... and has rejected all initiatives to resume flights from Sana'a Airport, the latest of which was the Jordanian initiative, along with the ongoing humanitarian violations committed by this militia against the Yemeni citizens, as it now attempts to export its economic problems and popular rejection due to its crimes and violations by fabricating false accusations and directing them at the kingdom".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the kingdom's position aims to "achieve peace in Yemen and end the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, as the kingdom has supported international efforts to achieve peace in Yemen over the past years, including the roadmap approved by the Yemeni government, while the Houthi militia has refrained from announcing its acceptance and engaged in conflict in the region to support its agenda and nefarious objectives, exacerbating the suffering of citizens in areas under its control".

The Saudi foreign ministry also urged the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in implementing the relevant Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2216 concerning Yemen and Resolution 2722 concerning the rights and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. At the same time, it affirmed that the kingdom will take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, emphasizing that the kingdom "will continue to support the brotherly Yemeni people and their legitimate government".