Türkiye on Wednesday condemned the recent Houthi announcement that the Iran-backed Yemeni group was imposing a naval blockade on neighboring Saudi Arabia.
"We condemn the Houthi threats to impose a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and once again reaffirm our solidarity with Saudi Arabia," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"Actions and threats that endanger maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, while targeting maritime transport and global trade must be immediately halted," it added.
"We reiterate our call for refraining from any conduct that could further escalate the existing tensions in the region," the ministry said.
Earlier Monday, the Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo of Saudi Arabia, stepping up the wider Middle East war.
The group did not say how it planned to impose the embargo, whose declaration came as Iran said it was back to a "full-scale war" with the United States and as Washington and Tehran battled to control the strait.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring.
