Mon 20 July 2026:

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo of their foe Saudi Arabia after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.

The rebels “declare a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye,’ effective immediately upon the issuance of this statement”, military spokesman Yahya Saree said.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree says the continued blockade of Yemen’s Sanaa airport “is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated”.

Saree vowed to retaliate “to the blockade with a blockade and to respond to all escalation with escalation”.

The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for strikes on Sanaa airport last week and retaliated by targeting Saudi’s Abha International Airport.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm their complete readiness for all options and any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy,” said Saree.

“We call upon the people of our great nation to continue the general mobilization and general call to arms, and to be fully prepared for all scenarios and developments, and to support the fronts with fighters.”

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Yemeni government prevents Iranian plane from landing at Sanaa airport

Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Sunday that it had prevented an Iranian aircraft from completing its flight to Sanaa International Airport, which is under the control of the Houthi group.

“No flights will be allowed to operate without obtaining the required authorizations from the internationally recognized government,” Transport Minister Mohsen Al-Amri said in statements carried by the state-run Al-Yemen TV.

He said the decision was taken because the flight “did not go through the approved official channels and procedures,” without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthis and Iranian authorities on the report.

The move comes amid heightened tensions in Yemen after the government said on Monday that its forces struck a runway at the Sanaa airport to bar another Iranian aircraft from landing.

In response, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of being behind the attack and launched missile strikes against Saudi territory, breaking years of calm.

Key Drivers of the Escalation:

On July 13, 2026, Yemeni government forces bombed the runway at Sanaa International Airport. The airstrip was targeted to block an aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation returning from Tehran. In response, the Houthis launched ballistic missiles targeting Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia, whose coalition backs the recognized government.

Both the government and Houthi forces have deployed heavy reinforcements to several front lines. The Houthis have publicly threatened a “siege” on Saudi infrastructure if the blockades on Yemen are not lifted.

Yemeni forces seize shipment of drone, boat materials in Bab al-Mandab

Earlier this month Yemen’s pro-government forces said, that they had seized a shipment of materials used for manufacturing drones and explosive boats aboard a vessel in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

In a statement on the US social media company X, the Giants Brigades said they intercepted the vessel as it attempted to sail toward Yemen’s western coast in Al Hudaydah province, whose ports are controlled by the Houthi group.

The statement added that the boat was carrying three sailors suspected of belonging to the Houthis, and they were detained for questioning.

The seized shipment included various equipment believed to be used in drone manufacturing, including hydraulic drilling equipment, servers, electronic chips for operating drones, GPS tracking devices for precise guidance, as well as engines and equipment for manufacturing suicide boats, it added.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Houthis seized Sanaa and ousted the government. The war has caused widespread displacement and damage, with the UN describing the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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