Egypt issued a statement on Tuesday strongly condemning threats by Yemen’s Houthis to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, describing the move as an irresponsible escalation that undermines regional stability.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement warned that the threats endanger the safety of maritime navigation, international trade, and vital waterways. Egypt stated the move represents a blatant violation of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The condemnation follows an announcement by the Houthis on Monday declaring a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ armed forces stated they were implementing the blockade “against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately.”
The Houthis said the decision was in response to what they called an “unjust and oppressive siege” imposed on Yemen by the Saudis. A full closure of the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia and could reduce the global oil supply by 7%.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen vowed to respond “firmly” to the threat against its commercial vessels, warning that the move threatens to disrupt global energy supplies beyond the Gulf.
“Such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy,” the coalition said in a statement. The alliance added that it has begun implementing protection measures for its ships transiting through the Bab El-Mandeb Strait.
In its Tuesday statement, Egypt stressed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, expressing support for all measures taken to preserve their security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Cairo also emphasised the importance of prioritising political and diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions and maintain regional stability.
