WSJ: Saudi Arabia Demands US Stop Blockade of Strait of Hormuz

According to the newspaper, Riyadh fears that Washington’s actions will escalate tensions in West Asia, prompting Yemen’s Ansarullah movement to block the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in retaliation. The strait links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden in the Northern Indian Ocean and is an important stop on the Saudi oil export route.

The Wall Street Journal noted that the Yemenis have assured Saudi Arabia that they will not attack its territory or vessels. However, Saudi officials believe that the situation remains unstable. They do not rule out the possibility that the Yemenis may start charging for passage through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

The report also pointed out that many of the Persian Gulf states are demanding that the US solve the issue with the Strait of Hormuz through talks.

Following recent threats by US President Donald Trump to impose a naval blockade on Iran, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) declared on Monday that it has enforced a blockade in the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea East of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's military warned that any threat to the country's ports would trigger a broader regional response, declaring that no port in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would remain secure if Iranian ports are targeted.