Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Yahya Saree on Friday announced a new stage in escalations that involves the targeting of ships heading to Israeli ports from the Mediterranean Sea.

"We announce the implementation of the fourth phase of escalation by targeting ships moving towards occupied Palestinian ports," Saree said.

رداً على استمرار الحرب على #غزة.. القوات المسلحة اليمنية تعلن بدأ المرحلة الرابعة من التصعيد

المتحدث باسم القوات المسلحة اليمنية العميد يحيى سريع يتحدث عنها خلال مسيرات #اليمن، نصرةً لـ #غزة و #فلسطين #صنعاء #الميادين pic.twitter.com/1QheEZhCYs

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) May 3, 2024

Saree outlined three measures: targeting violating ships, immediate implementation, and imposing sanctions on ships related to supplying occupied Palestinian ports if "Israel" invades Rafah. 

"First, the targeting of all ships that violate the ban decision of Israeli navigation and that heading to the ports of occupied Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea in any reachable area within our ample zone. Second, implementation of this comes into effect immediately and from the moment this statement is announced," Saree said in a statement.

The spokesman noted that the Yemeni resistance will carry out attacks against ships heading towards Israeli ports. 

"Third: If the Israeli enemy intends to launch an aggressive military operation against Rafah, the Yemeni Armed forces will impose comprehensive sanctions on all ships and companies that are related to supplying and entering the occupied Palestinian ports of any nationality and will prevent all ships of these companies from passing through the armed forces’ operation zone, regardless of their destination," he added.

Read more: 'US responsible for ramifications of its foolishness': Sanaa

An initial warning was issued yesterday by the leader of the Ansar Allah movement Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

During a speech, Al-Houthi said that Sanaa is making preparations for a new round of escalation if the Israeli occupation continues its aggression against the Gaza Strip.

He also made a review of achievements by the Yemeni armed forces during the week, which amounted to 8 operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, all the way to the Indian Ocean and southern occupied Palestine.

On Wednesday, Ansarallah Political Bureau member Ali Al-Qahoum warned that any military base or territory used as a launching point for US, UK, and Israeli aggression against Yemen be deemed a "primary" target for Yemen, and will thus expand "theater of operations and the target bank to include strategic and vital targets in depth and in economically significant areas."

On the same day, the Supreme Council said that the consequences of Western and Israeli aggressions would extend beyond Yemen's borders.

For months, the Yemenis have been responding to Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip by attacking military and commercial vessels linked to the Israeli occupation regime in the areas surrounding Yemen.

In response to the attacks, the US formed a coalition under its leadership coalition to stop Yemeni operations, an effort which failed to this moment.