RIYADH – The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Monday night that it would take necessary measures to protect its commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and respond firmly to any threats, after the Houthi group's earlier announcement of a maritime ban on Saudi shipping.

Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said in a statement on social media platform X that the Joint Forces Command of the coalition is taking all necessary and decisive operational measures in line with international law to protect coalition vessels passing through the strait.

He dismissed the Houthi maritime ban as "fallacies and escalation," saying more than 300 commercial vessels had entered Houthi-controlled ports in the first half of this year, carrying food and fuel, among others.

ALSO READ: Saudi-led coalition in Yemen vows to respond to military moves that undermine deescalation

Separately, the Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned in a statement Houthi allegations of a blockade, saying the kingdom has worked to ease Yemenis' suffering through development projects and budget support.

The Houthis announced the ban earlier in the day, citing what they called a "blockade for blockade" principle in response to Saudi Arabia's "siege for nearly 12 years."

The move came after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government struck Sanaa International Airport last week to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a senior Houthi delegation from landing. The Houthis blamed Riyadh and launched missiles and drones toward the kingdom.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015. The latest development has fueled concerns that the fragile de-escalation since a 2022 UN truce could unravel.