Yemeni military announces attacks on 2 ships heading to Israeli ports
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Concluding a mass demonstration in Sanaa, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces has announced two successful operations targeting the MSC Alanya and the MSC PALATIUM III.
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The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, addresses thousands of Yemenis in Sanaa during a massive demonstration in support of Palestine titled "You Are Not Alone", Sanaa, Yemen, on December 15, 2023. (Yemeni Armed Forces/Military media)
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) carried out two operations against two cargo ships heading to Israeli ports in occupied Palestine.
Coinciding with massive marches held in several Yemeni cities, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, took the stand in Sanaa and addressed thousands of Yemenis.
بيان القوات المسلحة اليمنية بشأن استهداف سفينتي الحاويات( MSC Alanya إم إس سي ألانيا "و" MSC PALATIUM III إم إس سي بالاتيوم3) المتجهتين إلى الكيان الإسرائيلي، لرفض طاقميهما الاستجابة لنداءات القوات البحرية اليمنية. pic.twitter.com/KUiOCJjgoQ
— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21ye) December 15, 2023
Saree announced that the Yemeni Naval Forces targeted the MSC Alanya and the MSC PALATIUM III with anti-ship missiles, dealing direct hits to the two vessels, which refused to heed Yemeni warnings. The Brigadier General emphasized that all vessels, heading to the Israeli occupation's ports, will continue to be targeted, until "Israel" lifts its blockade on Gaza and allows for the passage of necessities into the Strip, including food and medical supplies.
"The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target any ship violating the instructions laid out in previous statements."
Brigadier General Yahya Saree
Assuring all other vessels sailing to non-Israeli ports, the spokesperson said the Yemeni Armed Forces' operations will allow them safe passage, as long as the ships' crews successfully identify their final destination, as confirmed by the member of the Political Bureau of Ansar Allah movement, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, who said that Yemeni operations only target Israeli interests, and not world countries.
In a first, since the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip took place, Saree made the announcement publicly, marking yet another iconic moment in Yemen's support of the Palestinian people.
تظاهرة حاشدة في #صنعاء رفضاً للعدوان على #غزة وللمجازر الإسرائيلية ودعماً للمقاومة.#اليمن #فلسطين #طوفان_الأقصى pic.twitter.com/eE6fJ1rtu8
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 15, 2023
The spokesperson stated that the operations came in support of the oppressed Palestinian people, who are currently being subjected to massacres, destruction, and a siege in the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the directives of Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, and in response to the calls of the Yemeni people.
Read more: Israeli former Navy chief says Yemeni threat not to be underestimated
YAF steadfast in support for Palestine
Following missile and drone attacks on Israeli positions in occupied Palestine and attacks against Israeli-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced that they would target all ships heading to Israeli ports, practically imposing a strict naval blockade on the Israeli occupation.
On the effectiveness of the YAF's operations, the director general of the port of "Eilat", Gideon Golber, confirmed, according to Sputnik, reports citing Israeli Channel 13, that Yemen's threats of Israeli-bound ships had "disrupted 80% to 85% of the port’s profits."
In this context, Channel 13 further reported that "the volume of imports coming from the East to Israel is estimated at approximately 350 billion shekels, equivalent to 95 billion dollars annually."
The channel added, "Changing the maritime navigation route will raise the prices of imported products by an estimated 3%, which would increase the financial burden on the Israelis by about ten and a half billion shekels, or about 3 billion dollars."
It is worth noting that the YAF's Navy intensified its operations against ships bound for Israeli ports despite threats issued by US officials to the Ansar Allah movement, as reported by The Guardian.
Read more: US threatens to thwart peace plan for Yemen amid Red Sea operations
