When militias fail in their destructive projects, they tend to manufacture a false grievance to justify their crimes and abuses. This is what the Houthi militia appears to be doing in Yemen, as it promotes the fiction of its “blockade” of Saudi ships, a desperate attempt to drag the Yemeni people into the ventures of foreign interests. This false grievance fools no-one, least of all Yemenis, who know that the real threat comes from the Houthis, not Saudi Arabia. The militia uses Yemenis’ suffering as an instrument of political blackmail and fuel for a hollow populist narrative devoid.
How can there be a “blockade” if the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Isa remain open and continue to receive vessels? In 2026, more than 300 commercial ships have entered carrying food, fuel, construction materials, and other goods. This shows that the coalition and the legitimate government continue to place the needs of the Yemeni people above all else, and remain committed to UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting arms shipments to the militia.
Aiming to deflect
The claim of a “blockade” is an excuse for the Houthis’ failure to govern the areas it controls. It was the Houthis who attacked the country’s oil export terminals and deprived Yemen of 60% of its revenues, money needed to pay public-sector salaries and operate power stations. Likewise, it was the Houthis who seized aircraft belonging to Yemenia Airways, paralysing the national carrier, then rejecting every initiative to restore flights from Sanaa Airport (including the latest Jordanian proposal), while insisting that only Mahan Air be allowed to return. By such practices, the Houthis not only create the crisis; they deepen it, too.
