The official spokesman for the Coalition forces, "Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen," Major General Turki Al-Maliki stated that the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition is taking and implementing all decisive and strict operational measures, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, to protect our naval vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Major General Al-Maliki explained that the allegations regarding the closure of Yemeni ports and airports come in the context of Houthi misinformation and escalation against the Yemeni government and neighboring countries, and that the Houthi narrative about the siege is misleading, as more than 300 commercial ships entered the ports of (Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Isa) during the first half of 2026, carrying various food supplies, goods, fuel, and construction materials, and that the Houthi militia is the one that caused the closure of Sana'a International Airport and the destruction of Yemenia airline aircraft, and also rejected all initiatives to resume flights to and from the airport.

Response to Houthi threats

Major General Al-Maliki affirmed that the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition has begun implementing measures to protect Coalition ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and will respond to Houthi threats to passing ships with all firmness and force, considering these threats a clear violation of international law and amounting to acts of maritime piracy.