Trump warns US could act if Houthis enforce Saudi shipping blockade
Why it matters: Any disruption at Bab el-Mandeb would add to risks for oil and cargo routes already strained by Houthi attacks.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States would respond if Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis carry out their threatened maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said the blockade had not happened yet but that the U.S. would “take care of” it if it does. The warning followed a Houthi declaration of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and reports from the Houthi-run SABA news agency that six ships rerouted after rebel warnings. The threat centers on Red Sea shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key corridor for oil and trade between the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The Houthis have already launched more than 190 attacks on commercial shipping since late 2023, disrupting one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.