The Transport Minister in the Sanaa government, Major General Abdulwahab al-Durra, said on Sunday that the United States is holding the international navigation security hostage to protect the Israeli occupation entity as it continues its war on Gaza.

Al-Durra pointed out that "the American[s] are practicing intimidation, [militarizing] the Red Sea, and spreading false propaganda to protect the navigation of the Israeli enemy," reiterating that all ships are safe to pass through the Red and Arabian seas toward any destination in the world except those linked to "Israel" or heading toward its ports until the war on Gaza stops.

On that note, he said that during the first quarter of 2024, over 5,000 ships have sailed through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Elsewhere in his statement, the Minister discussed the toll of the Saudi-led, US-backed aggression on Yemen.

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He highlighted that the financial toll from the transport sector during 9 years of aggression and blockade was over $13.5 billion. Additionally, he mentioned that losses in the Yemeni aviation sector were nearly $7 billion, losses in the maritime sector surpassed $5.5 billion, and losses in the land sector were close to $1 billion.

The Transport Minister called for "the full and comprehensive opening of Sanaa International Airport without conditions for all international destinations" and for "the rehabilitation of the port of Hodeidah," according to the commitment of the United Nations under the Stockholm Agreement of 2018.

Al-Durra also called for "the opening of all main roads without exception throughout the [Yemeni] Republic," expressing Sanaa's readiness to carry out this mission.

However, "the other party must prove goodwill," he said, referring to Yemeni parties affiliated with Saudi Arabia or the UAE. "[The] public interest must prevail over personal interests for the Yemeni people and to alleviate their suffering."

Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badreddine al-Houthi revealed earlier this week that the Yemeni Armed Forces, as part of their operations in support of Gaza, have, until the day of his speech, targeted 86 ships in the Red and Arabian seas, in addition to the Indian Ocean.

In a televised speech, Sayyed al-Houthi said that the poor state of the US Navy is "the result of Washington's intransigence and its refusal to accept the correct and fair solution, which is to stop the aggression, crimes, and siege on the Gaza Strip."

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"The Americans and British have gotten themselves into trouble with the Israeli regime in the Red Sea, despite the rising prices of goods, shipping, and insurance they are incurring," he continued.

Concluding his address, the Ansar Allah chief reaffirmed the steadfastness of the Yemeni people and their continued adherence to their stances despite the hostile actions and the pressure that was attempted to be exerted on them by depriving them of UN-distributed aid.