Yemeni decision against 'Israel'-bound ships is in response to US veto
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The Yemeni Information Minister tells Al Mayadeen that this move is the "least that should be done" in support of "our people in Gaza."
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A member of the Yemeni Armed Forces positioned in a trench during a live exercise with the Palestinian flag to his left and the Yemeni flag to his right in an undisclosed location in Yemen, in 2023 (Yemeni military media)
Yemen's recent decision to prohibit any ship from reaching Israeli ports via the Arabian and Red seas is a response and public rejection to the US veto on a UNSC resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the Yemeni Information Minister Daifallah al-Shami confirmed to Al Mayadeen.
In a video interview, the Minister pointed out that Washington "declared it is leading the war and siege on Gaza," adding that the Yemeni Armed Force's announcement is "the least that should be done in support of our people in the Gaza Strip."
However, the Minister explained the decision can only be annulled when a "permanent and comprehensive support mechanism for the Palestinian people is established."
Regarding the action plan, he stressed that the Yemeni army has a comprehensive database of international maritime activities, and all vessels are "completely secure except for ships heading to the occupation."
Read more: US attempts to protect Israeli ships in Red Sea failed: Al-Qahoum
On that note, al-Shami warned that it is not in the interest of any country to respond to the Israeli occupation's call to "form a naval force to protect its ships," as Sanaa cannot be intimidated or deterred by any such coalition.
Furthermore, he emphasized that Yemen "has all the capabilities to stand in solidarity with our people in Palestine" and emphasized that Sanaa "cannot allow ships to transport medicine and food to the occupation, while it is prohibited to Palestinians."
"What matters to us in our stances in support of Palestine is God's satisfaction, and we know that the enemies have great power, but we have prepared as much strength as we could."
The Yemeni Minister reiterated Sanaa's assurance that "there is absolutely no danger to international navigation," clarifying that the operations will only affect "ships carrying goods to the occupation."
Earlier, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced 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.
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."
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 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.
A new phase of operations
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 48,780 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."
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.
