Houthis' Red Sea Blockade Raises Complex Legal Questions Over International Rights

Since July 2026 the Houthis have declared a maritime blockade aimed at Saudi-linked ships, warning all commercial vessels against calling at Saudi ports and attacking any that breach the restriction. Their seizure of strategic islands around Bab al-Mandeb by September has tightened their grip on Yemen's Red Sea coastline, causing traffic through the strait to fall to its lowest level in months. International law traditionally reserves blockade rights for belligerents in an international armed conflict, but scholars argue that the Houthis' extensive territorial control may qualify them as a de facto government, potentially extending belligerent rights to them.

The conflict's character is further complicated by Saudi Arabia's direct involvement, Israeli strikes on Houthi-held territory, and Iranian support, each of which could shift the legal framing toward an international armed conflict. Regardless of classification, any attacks must still comply with humanitarian rules on distinction, proportionality and precaution, especially concerning neutral shipping. The combined risk to Bab al-Mandeb and the nearby Strait of Hormuz could jeopardise roughly a quarter of worldwide oil shipments and a significant share of LNG trade.