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Houthi Official Says Bab el-Mandeb Remains Open, Limits Naval Blockade to Saudi Arabia

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Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam denied reports that the group had closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait, saying its naval blockade targets only Saudi Arabia, according to a statement on X on Friday.

Abdul Salam said the Yemeni Armed Forces had announced a maritime blockade aimed solely at the "Saudi side" rather than the strategic waterway. He dismissed claims that shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait had stopped.

He said the blockade responds to what the Houthis describe as Saudi Arabia's continued siege of Yemen and its rejection of a settlement that guarantees Yemen's security, sovereignty and independence.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and serves as a key route for global energy and commercial shipping. Reports of any disruption typically draw close attention from energy and financial markets.

The statement came a day after Yemeni forces said they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers for violating the naval blockade imposed in the Red Sea, according to a statement on X by military spokesperson Yahya Saree on Thursday.

Saree said the operation used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, triggering a large fire aboard both vessels. He added that the strikes forced about 10 ships to retreat.

Saree said the armed forces will continue naval operations against what he described as the Saudi enemy and keep enforcing the "siege for a siege" policy. He warned that any escalation would draw a broader military response.

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