Yemen sanctions 64 companies over Red Sea blockade violations
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Yemen has sanctioned 64 companies for violating its naval blockade on "Israel"-linked vessels, expanding Red Sea restrictions to support Gaza.
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This black-and-white image released by the US military's Central Command shows the fire aboard the bulk carrier True Confidence after a missile attack by Yemen's armed forces in the Gulf of Aden on March 6, 2024. (AP)
The Humanitarian Coordination Center in Yemen announced on Wednesday evening that 64 companies have been sanctioned, and their vessels banned from sailing through the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
The sanctions come in response to violations of a Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) decision to block the transit of ships linked to "Israel" or traveling to occupied Palestinian ports.
In a statement carried by Yemeni news agency Saba, the center confirmed Yemen had "imposed sanctions on 64 companies that violated the naval blockade imposed on the Israeli enemy."
The statement added that since the blockade began, the center contacted the ship-owning companies to inform them of the restrictions. Despite receiving prior warnings, these vessels proceeded to enter ports in occupied Palestine, prompting the imposition of sanctions.
The Center held the responsible companies "fully accountable for the consequences resulting from these sanctions," affirming that "sanctions will continue to be imposed on companies that violated the naval blockade, regardless of their nationalities."
The Humanitarian Coordination Center explained that the goal of the sanctions is to pressure the Israeli entity to halt its aggression and lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip, further noting that shipping companies have already begun cutting ties with the sanctioned firms and are excluding "Israel" from their commercial operations.
Last Sunday, the YAF announced the start of the fourth escalation phase in the ongoing naval blockade against "Israel." The new stage comes as part of what the forces described as "continued field escalation in support of Gaza."
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, stated that the latest phase includes targeting all ships whose owning companies deal with the ports of the occupied Palestinian territories, urging those companies to halt such activities effective immediately.
