Saudi Arabia Warns of Houthi Threats to Red Sea Shipping

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  September 17, 2026

Saudi Arabia has warned that attacks by the Houthi militia pose a threat to maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait, with potential consequences for international trade and global supply chains.

The warning was delivered by Abdulaziz Alwasil, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, during a UN Security Council session on threats to navigation in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab.

Alwasil said protecting maritime corridors and ensuring freedom of navigation were shared international responsibilities that required compliance with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He condemned attacks attributed to the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and the targeting of commercial vessels and maritime routes, while reaffirming what he described as the Kingdom’s right to protect its national security.

Saudi Arabia has also launched what Alwasil described as the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance to strengthen maritime security and protect freedom of navigation amid growing threats to vital shipping routes in the region.

The Saudi representative called on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities in protecting maritime corridors, arguing that greater security would help safeguard international trade and global supply chains while supporting regional and international stability.

Alwasil also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for efforts to de-escalate tensions and reach a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement to the conflict in Yemen.

He reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Yemen’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, positioning a political solution alongside efforts to protect maritime security in the Red Sea.

The Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait form a major maritime route linking the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, making security in the waterway important to international shipping and supply chains.

Source: FSX Business News