The European Union's High Representative has condemned recent threats by Yemen's Houthis to impose a maritime blockade on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, calling them a direct threat to regional stability and a dangerous escalation. In a statement issued on 23 July 2026, the EU also denounced the attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea as unacceptable and illegal, stressing that navigation must remain unimpeded in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The Houthis must cease all actions endangering international shipping and seafarers, and comply with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The EU's naval operation ASPIDES remains committed to protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea under its defensive mandate.
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