ISTANBUL / Anadolu

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday evening that it will take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law, in response to the Houthi group's announcement of a maritime navigation ban on the Kingdom.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Kingdom will take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.

The Ministry strongly condemned what it called the 'military spokesman of the terrorist Houthi militia' regarding 'the accusation of the Kingdom of besieging the Yemeni people and declaring a maritime navigation ban on it.'

Hours earlier, the Yemeni Houthi group announced a 'maritime navigation ban' on Saudi Arabia, in response to what it says is a blockade imposed by Riyadh.

The group's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said in a video statement: 'The Yemeni Armed Forces,' referring to the group's forces, 'announce a maritime navigation ban on Saudi Arabia according to the principle of blockade for blockade.'

He added that the ban 'will come into effect from the moment this statement is issued,' according to the group's Al-Masirah TV channel.

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