Image: Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement gather during a rally against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17. Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images

Emily Feng of NPR reports: “The Houthis, a Yemeni Shia militia that is aligned with Iran, have announced a naval blockade of a key waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

In a video statement, a Houthi spokesperson said the blockade was in retaliation for strikes from Saudi Arabia on a major airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of hitting the airport while an Iranian official was traveling through it earlier this month.

On Tuesday, MarineTraffic, which tracks vessel movements globally, said two oil tankers have rerouted after departing Saudi Arabia, calling it “the first operational response to heightened security risks in the Red Sea.”

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