Red Sea Shipping Threatened as Houthi Claims Airport Hit

The Houthi statement on the Najran Airport drone strike adds to a growing list of accusations that the group has targeted Saudi vessels operating in the Red Sea. Since July, the Houthi movement has repeatedly alleged that Saudi Arabia is blockading areas under its control, prompting the rebels to announce a series of maritime restrictions. The heightened confrontations have sparked fears of a larger military clash in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which links the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea and serves as a vital route for international commerce and oil transportation.