Statement by the High Representative on Houthi threats against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and freedom of navigation in the region

Recent threats by Yemen’s Houthis to impose a maritime blockade on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pose a direct threat to regional stability and constitute a dangerous escalation.

The attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea is unacceptable, illegal, and further inflames an already volatile situation in the region. Navigation must be unimpeded, in the Strait of Hormuz as well as in the Red Sea.

The Houthis must cease all actions that endanger international shipping and the lives of seafarers. They must comply with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as UN Security Council Resolutions 2216 on Yemen, 2722, and 2826 on freedom of navigation.

The European Union’s naval operation ASPIDES remains firmly committed to protecting freedom of navigation for all in the Red Sea and surrounding international waters, in line with its defensive mandate and Operation Plan.