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EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has condemned the Yemeni Houthis’ recent threats to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, describing them as a threat to regional stability and a dangerous escalation.
In a statement, Kallas said the attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea was unacceptable and unlawful and further aggravated an already tense regional situation.
She stressed that freedom of navigation must be guaranteed in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, and that no obstacles should be created to international maritime traffic.
Kallas called on the Houthis to immediately cease all actions that endanger international shipping and to comply with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and UN Security Council Resolutions 2216, 2722 and 2826, which relate to Yemen and freedom of navigation.
According to the statement, the European Union’s ASPIDES naval mission will continue operating under its defensive mandate and approved operational plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and adjacent international waters.
The Houthis recently announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and, on July 22, struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. Riyadh confirmed that one of the tankers had been hit. A fire broke out aboard the vessel, but no casualties were reported.