Houthis announce maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia after airport strike as region braces for wider escalation

Yemen's Ansarullah, or colloquially called Houthi, has announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, in a bid to impose pressure on global shipping and reportedly give respite to ally Iran, as U.S. forces have been bombing the West Asian country for days.

The Tehran-allied group characterized the move in response to a recent strike on Sanaa International Airport by Yemen's internationally recognized government, but Houthis believed it had alleged Riyadh support.

Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesman, called the measure in a televised address an "eye for an eye" response - but it is worth noting the group did strike Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport.

In addition, a report in Reuters claimed, quoting two unnamed senior Iranian officials, that Tehran has instructed its allied group in Yemen to be on alert to block the Red Sea oil route if Washington attacks Iran's energy sector.

However, in the group's statement, details are less about what a maritime embargo consists of.

Yet, the latest escalation reached a fever pitch, which could put significant strain on the 2022 truce between Riyadh and the Houthis.

The threat, meanwhile, could unravel the oil-rich kingdom's alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, that is, an East-West pipeline to export its crude oil from the country's western export terminals.

But as the Houthis have previously demonstrated their ability to disrupt maritime trade, it could possibly turn the strategic thinking in Saudi Arabia, which has a military pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.