Between hope and fear: Yemenis react to Houthi blockade on Saudi Arabia
The Houthi naval blockade on Saudi Arabia has sparked mixed reactions among Yemenis, with many fearing a return to full-scale war and worsening humanitarian conditions, while supporters view it as a long-overdue response to Saudi restrictions.
In Sanaa, schoolteacher Ammar Saleh watched nervously as the Houthi military spokesman announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. After the Houthis attacked two Saudi ships, many Yemenis believe the four-year relative calm in the decade-long war is ending. Ammar fears that Houthi-controlled areas will become battlefields again, facing fuel shortages and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Other civilians, like construction worker Abdulla Yahya, say their suffering goes unseen during war. He says a full-scale conflict will make survival harder—prices will soar, fuel supply will be disrupted, and job opportunities will decline. Abdulla, a father of three, cannot afford extra food and gas cylinders, which cost about 55,000 Yemeni riyals ($230).
Houthi supporter Mohammed Ali from Sanaa calls the blockade a long-overdue step to show Saudi Arabia it is not invulnerable. He argues that Yemen is sovereign and Saudi leaders have no right to control its ports and airspace. Mohammed is unafraid of renewed war, saying the Houthis have faced the US, Israel, and the Saudi-led coalition before.
Opponents of the Houthis, such as Mohammed Karim from Hodeidah, see the blockade as obedience to Iran. He notes that Iran recently asked the Houthis to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandeb strait if the US strikes Iranian infrastructure. The US is conducting nightly strikes on Iran. Karim is angry that the Houthis are dragging Yemen into Iran's conflict while ignoring Yemeni suffering.
Political analyst Saddam Al Huraibi says the Houthi decision is reckless and could lead to their collapse. He believes the Yemeni government and international actors increasingly see military action as the only option. However, many Yemenis fear that once war resumes, it will be hard to stop. Ammar says: "We cannot endure any more losses or pain."
