Yemen prevents 'Israel'-bound ships from passing via Arabian, Red seas
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The Yemeni Armed Forces announce that all ships bound to the occupation entity are prohibited from passing through the seas regardless of their nationality until sufficient food and medicine aid enters Gaza.
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Members of the Yemeni Naval Forces on the deck of the Israeli Galaxy Leader ship after landing on it via a helicopter during an operation to capture the vessel in the Red Sea support of Gaza on November 20, 2023 (Screengrab from Yemeni military media video release)
The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Sunday the introduction of a new actionable decision in support of Gaza, which will see the prohibition of all ships bound to the occupation entity, regardless of their nationality, from passing through the Arabian and Red seas until food and medicine sufficient to the needs of the population enter the besieged Strip.
Read more: US attempts to protect Israeli ships in Red Sea failed: Al-Qahoum
In a statement, Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree declared that this prohibition is "effective immediately," noting that Sanaa, "out of its commitment to the safety of maritime navigation, warns all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports."
"The Yemeni Armed Forces emphasize their full commitment to the continuity of global trade movement through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea for all ships and all countries, except those ships associated with Israel or those that will transport goods" to the occupation entity.
It is worth noting that the spokesperson did not void the earlier equation, which constitutes that the Yemeni army will continue targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea until the war on Gaza stops.
Commenting on the announcement, Israeli media confirmed that Sanaa's announcement preventing any ship from reaching Israeli ports is considered "an escalation up a notch and a very serious event," calling it a significant issue for the entire world. This entails a recognition of the size of the impact this announcement may cause.
It should be noted that Sanaa has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to international law and international maritime navigation and that it is a partner in ensuring this, stressing that its operations only affect ships that are related to the occupation.
Gradual escalation in support of Gaza
In its latest report, the Palestinian Health Ministry stated that the war on Gaza has resulted so far in over 17,700 martyrs, over 70% of which children and women, with more than 50,000 people wounded with various injuries.
Meanwhile, the 2.2 million population in Gaza is suffering what was described by top UN officials and international human rights organizations as an "unfolding genocide," "crisis of humanity," "apocalyptic humanitarian crisis," and "crimes against humanity."
Read more: Yemeni ballistic missiles target Israeli military sites in 'Eilat'
The new announcement marks a significant development from earlier equations adopted by Yemen, which only included the targeting of Israeli-owned or affiliated ships and was limited to the Red Sea.
Implementing previous warnings, the Yemeni Armed Forces captured last month the Israeli Galaxy Leader vessel in the Red Sea via a naval operation landing on its deck, before leading it to the sea off the coast of Hodeidah.
The army also successfully targeted two Israeli ships earlier this month, using a drone and missiles, while forcing several shipping vessels to reroute or entirely change course away from the Red Sea, subsequently increasing delivery periods, costs, and insurance rates.
Less than 24h after the US blocked yet another ceasefire in Gaza
The Yemeni announcement comes less than one day after the United States vetoed a UNSC resolution on Sunday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in a 13-1 vote, with the abstention of the UK.
Furthermore, an Axios report published on Sunday, citing an Israeli senior military official, revealed that the United States is neither imposing a deadline on "Israel" regarding its war on Gaza nor "pulling the brakes" on the invasion, but is only suggesting that time is running out.
Maersk demands risk charges from Israeli ships
The world's second-largest shipping company, A.P. Moller-Maersk, announced yesterday that it will start imposing a new risk surcharge on container shipments heading to "Israel" starting next year, citing the need to cover rising insurance premiums due to the unstable security situation.
The Danish shipping giant, in a formal statement, indicated that the continuous increase in insurance premiums for ships en route to the occupation entity necessitates the introduction of an Emergency Risk Surcharge (ERS) starting in 2024.
“The surcharge will be used to accommodate additional insurance costs and ultimately ensure a continued and sustainable service for our customers to Israel,” the statement read.
Starting from January 8, Maersk customers will incur an additional fee of $50 for 20-foot containers. For larger containers, measuring 40 and 45 feet, the surcharge will be $100, as per the company's announcment.
