Yemen Warns Bab al-Mandab Strait Will Be Closed to Saudi Shipping 06 July 2026 11:38 AM Foreign Policy WANA News WANA (Jul 06) – Yemen has warned to completely close the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait to Saudi Arabian vessels if a naval and aerial blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia and the United States is not lifted.
As Yemen awaits a second civilian flight by Iran’s Mahan Air in the coming hours, media outlets quoting informed sources report that the Ansar Allah movement is considering leveraging control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pressure Riyadh.
According to these sources, Yemen has given the United Nations and Saudi Arabia a deadline to lift all restrictions on maritime traffic at Yemeni ports. If Saudi Arabia ignores the warning, Yemeni armed forces will block Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Yemen-Iran Flights are Fully Legal Khaled Al-Shayef, the director of Sana’a International Airport, confirmed new arrangements to resume flights, noting that these plans include new destinations. Al-Shayef defended the resumption of flights between Sana’a and Tehran, asserting they are entirely legal.
Meanwhile, Riyadh has escalated tensions. Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, stated that Riyadh would counter any attempts to target Saudi territory. Ansar Allah countered by reiterating its threat to play the Bab al-Mandab card to force an end to the siege imposed on Yemen.
Yemen Vows to End Saudi-US “Bullying” Yemeni armed forces stated last Friday that they successfully neutralized a Saudi attempt to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sana’a Airport by deploying air defense missiles.
The Yemeni side confirmed that the Iranian aircraft landed successfully, disembarked its passengers, and returned to Tehran with a new manifest of passengers.
Jalal Al-Roweishan, Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs, responded directly to the Saudi coalition’s warnings, vowing to end Saudi and American “bullying.” Al-Roweishan declared that Yemen will break the restrictions imposed on its maritime and air traffic, emphasizing Sana’a’s combat readiness for any emergency.
Additionally, Abdullah Al-Nuaimi, a member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, warned: “Saudi Arabia may decide to enter a new war against Yemen, but it will not be able to stop it, and the situation will spiral out of control.”
Blockade and Threats Failed to Prevent Yemeni Delegation’s Visit to TehranWANA (Jul 04) – Abdulmajid al-Houthi, a leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah movement, said the Yemeni delegation reached Tehran despite what he described as a blockade and military threats. He claimed that as the delegation departed, the airport was under siege while Saudi and Israeli warplanes flew overhead in an attempt to prevent the Iranian […]
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Tags: Bab al-Mandab iran Saudi Arabia U.S Yemen