The United States Embassy in Yemen has refuted allegations by the Houthis that a Saudi-led blockade is restricting access to the country. Khaled Wolfsberg, the embassy's spokesperson, released an Arabic-language video on Tuesday, stating that goods continue to flow into areas of Yemen under Houthi control. The Houthi rebels, who seized Sanaa, the capital, in September 2014 and have since taken over large parts of western and northern Yemen, are accused by Wolfsberg of besieging Taiz, a city under government control but surrounded by the Houthis. The US Embassy's claims align with data from the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen, which shows that 272 commercial ships successfully unloaded their cargo at Houthi-controlled ports between January and September 2026. However, the UN has warned that recent fighting has worsened the humanitarian situation in Taiz, with the Houthis allegedly blocking food and fuel from reaching hospitals and water stations in the city.
In a more detailed account, Khaled Wolfsberg, the spokesperson for the US Embassy in Yemen, released a video on Tuesday evening on the mission's official Instagram account. In this video, he contested Houthi claims of a Saudi-led blockade restricting access to Yemen, stating that goods are still flowing into areas under Houthi control. The Houthis, an armed group also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God), seized Sanaa in September 2014 and have since taken over large parts of western and northern Yemen. An offensive on coastal areas in September this year saw the rebel group take control of the port city of Mocha.
Wolfsberg presented operational figures showing that 272 commercial ships successfully unloaded their cargo at the ports of Hodeidah, as-Salif, and Ras Isa – all under Houthi control – between January and September 2026. This data directly contradicts the Houthi narrative that Saudi Arabia and its allies have enacted a full-scale siege of Yemen’s Red Sea ports, preventing aid from reaching civilians. The UN data confirms that these vessels delivered millions of tonnes of essential cargo, primarily food, during this period.
However, the UN has warned that recent fighting has worsened the humanitarian situation in Taiz, a city under government control but fully surrounded by the Houthis. In the US embassy video, Wolfsberg accused the Houthis of blocking food and fuel from reaching hospitals and water stations in Taiz. He described the conditions faced by Taiz residents as a genuine siege, shifting the blame for localised shortages onto the Houthi forces encircling the area.