🔸The Islamic Republic-backed Houthis in Yemen announced that they do not intend to block the movement of ships through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and that the maritime blockade declared by this group “targets only the Saudi side.”

🔸Mohammed al-Essam, a spokesperson and one of the senior negotiators for the Houthis, said on Friday, the second of Mordad: “Contrary to what some are saying, Bab al-Mandab has not been closed.”

🔸These remarks come a few days after the Houthis said they had imposed a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, and early Thursday they targeted two Saudi oil tankers.

🔸On Monday, the Houthis announced that they carried out the maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia by invoking the principle of “an eye for an eye.” They described the move as a response to what they called Yemen’s “siege” by Saudi Arabia over the past nearly 12 years.

🔸The announcement of the blockade and the attacks on Saudi oil tankers have been met with condemnation from US and European officials. Donald Trump, the US president, has also threatened Iran and the Houthis that if the attacks continue, they will face “military punishment.”