Saudi-led naval force secures Bab el-Mandeb amid Houthi threat

Africa · Northern Key Facts —Houthi blockade declared. On 20 July 2026, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a maritime blockade targeting Saudi-linked vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. —Coalition naval response. The Saudi-led coalition pledged to secure the strait with visible naval deployments and warned of a forceful response to any interference with commercial shipping.…