Houthi Rebels Threaten Saudi Arabia and Consider Red Sea Measures Amid Yemen Conflict

On July 9, 2025, the Houthi movement in Yemen released footage documenting their attack on the ship Magic Seas, which they seized and subsequently sank. Abdullah al-Nuaymi, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, warned on social media that while Saudi Arabia might have the authority to initiate a new war against Yemen, it would be unable to control the conflict, which would spiral out of control. He asserted that the Houthis would hold the power to decide when the war ends.

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah and the resistance axis, reported that the Houthis are considering leveraging the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pressure Saudi Arabia. They plan to demand that the UN and Saudi Arabia lift all maritime restrictions on Yemeni ports nationwide. Should these demands not be met within a set deadline, the Houthis threaten to impose reciprocal restrictions on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

This escalation follows the Yemeni armed forces' recent declaration of readiness to confront any military escalation by the Houthis. They condemned what they described as "direct Iranian interventions" in Yemen, which they claim threaten regional and international security and undermine prospects for a political resolution to the war.

Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led regional coalition supporting Yemen's government, vowed a "harsh and unprecedented" response to any attempts to harm Saudi Arabia or Yemen's sovereignty. This statement was noted as more severe than previous warnings. Meanwhile, the Yemeni military spokesperson accused Iran of continuing to use the Houthis as a proxy to serve regional agendas, opposing the Yemeni people's will and international efforts to end the conflict. He blamed the Houthis, backed by Iran, for obstructing peace initiatives, including those led by Saudi Arabia and international partners, and for worsening Yemen's humanitarian, economic, and service crises.