Yemen’s Houthi movement has warned global shipowners against sending vessels to Saudi Arabian ports, expanding the scope of a potential maritime threat that could disrupt millions of barrels of the kingdom’s oil exports.

In an email circulated to shipping companies and seen by Bloomberg, the Iran-aligned group made clear that its declared blockade would not be limited to Saudi-flagged vessels but would apply to all ships travelling to or from Saudi ports.

“We strongly recommend that your company exercise due diligence and the utmost care in all its dealings, and ensure that no vessel voyages are conducted to or from Saudi ports,” the Houthis said in the message. “Any such activity would expose the violating vessels to sanctions. Furthermore, they may be subject to targeting in any location within the operational reach of the Yemeni Armed Forces.”

The warning marks a renewed escalation after months without reported Houthi attacks on shipping. The group reiterated its threat to target vessels on Monday, as tensions in the Middle East intensified.

The move could jeopardise Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, a key Red Sea terminal that has gained importance as an alternative export route following disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has been severely curtailed amid the Iran conflict. Saudi Arabia has relied on an east-west pipeline linking the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea to reroute crude shipments to Yanbu.

Maritime sources indicated that the threat may already be affecting operations. On Monday, an official aboard an oil tanker in the Red Sea reported receiving a radio broadcast from what was identified as the “Yemeni armed forces,” warning that Saudi vessels were blocked. The crew considered the transmission credible, according to the official.

In response, a Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen said it had begun implementing operational measures to protect shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint at the southern entrance to the Red Sea that connects it to the Indian Ocean.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported warning.

The Houthis said the move to impose an embargo on Saudi ports was in response to what they described as a Saudi “siege” on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.

The effectiveness of the threatened blockade remains unclear, but any sustained disruption in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a vital artery for global trade and energy flows — could have significant implications for international shipping and oil markets.

By Tamilla Hasanova

Source: caliber.az