Saudi Arabia Rejects Houthi ‘Blockade’ Narrative, Calls Red Sea Ship Attacks ‘Piracy’ at UN

Saudi Arabia Tells UN Houthi ‘Blockade’ Claims Are False, Calls Red Sea Ship Attacks ‘Maritime Piracy’

Saudi Arabia has accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels of spreading “false” and “misleading” claims about a blockade on Yemeni ports and airports, while describing the group’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea as acts of maritime piracy.

Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Thursday, Faisal Meshari T. Almadi, head of the Security Council and Political Affairs Division at Saudi Arabia’s UN mission, said the Houthis were using misinformation to justify actions that threaten regional security and global trade.

Saudi Rejects Houthi Blockade Narrative

Almadi said claims that Yemeni ports and airports had been blocked were not supported by facts.

According to Saudi Arabia, more than 300 commercial ships carrying food, fuel, construction materials and other essential goods entered the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa during the first six months of the year.

He also said the Houthis had turned down repeated proposals to resume flights from Sanaa International Airport, including a recent Jordanian initiative. The closure of the airport and the destruction of a Yemenia aircraft, he argued, were the result of Houthi actions rather than coalition restrictions.

Calls for Action Under UN Resolutions

The Saudi envoy urged the international community to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 2216 on Yemen and Resolution 2722, which calls for protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

He said coalition forces had begun implementing measures, in accordance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to safeguard shipping through the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait.

‘Attacks on Ships Are Piracy’

Almadi said repeated attacks on commercial vessels violate international law and should be treated as maritime piracy. He warned that failing to deter such attacks would encourage further assaults, threaten international shipping lanes and undermine regional stability.

Saudi Arabia called on the UN and the wider international community to condemn the targeting of merchant ships and take stronger action to prevent future attacks.

Support for Peace Efforts in Yemen

Reiterating Riyadh’s position on the Yemen conflict, Almadi said Saudi Arabia remains committed to a political settlement and continues to support UN-led peace initiatives.

He accused the Houthis of rejecting the UN-backed peace roadmap accepted by Yemen’s internationally recognised government and said the group’s involvement in broader regional conflicts had prolonged the suffering of the Yemeni people.

Saudi Arabia, he added, will continue working with the UN and international partners to promote peace, stability and secure maritime trade routes across the region.