Ansar Allah fighters stage a rally against the U.S. government designating Ansar Allah as a terror group and against the U.S.-led sustained airstrikes on Yemen, near Sanaa, Yemen, January 25, 2024. (AP)
An opinion piece published in Bloomberg details the significant challenges the Yemenis pose against the Western maritime coalition, giving them the upper hand in battle.
A recent op-ed published by Bloomberg detailed the considerations the West must take into account in its war on Yemen and schooled the West on the challenges it has to face before declaring itself victorious against a movement it cannot catch up to, Yemen’s Ansar Allah.
Throughout the confrontations between Ansar Allah and the foreign infiltrative coalition in the Red Sea, author Marc Champion reflects on the military advancements the Yemenis possess. The Yemenis revolutionized the battlefield by utilizing enhanced weapons such as precision missiles and suicide drones, among others, that had only been available to the richest nations.
The second challenge encompasses the vulnerability of Western nations that have perpetuated a war without calculating all they would lose. For example, Champion discusses the infrastructure of the United States and its offshore projects that could be shrunk in the face of a powerful foe. He proceeds to speculate how much the US per capita gross domestic product, which stands at over $76,000, could be hit, highlighting its fragility.
The economic structure of the globe should be considered, according to Champion, who claims the disruptions in the maritime supply chain caused by Yemen’s Ansar Allah, which add up to 12% of the global shipping, essentially do not affect Yemen as much as they affect European importers.
Moreover, the author depicts the discrepancies between the political ideology of the US and Yemen. If Yemen kills US troops that have been deployed to infiltrate and militarize the Red Sea and protect the interests of “Israel” by bombing the defensive force that is supporting Gaza through a US-funded Israeli genocide, then it would transpire as a political problem that backfires at Biden’s administration. On the other hand, when US troops kill Yemeni civilians in the US’ brutal attacks on residential Yemeni areas, then it only fuels Ansar Allah further, and more so the popular support it garners.
Champion then says the US must not escalate tensions against a clearly overpowered movement that regards it as an absolute evil and continues to recruit freedom fighters in the quest for liberation.
On submarine telecommunication cables, the author classifies them as an extension of Western vulnerabilities in the region, that could be a target for the Yemenis.
It is important to note that Ansar Allah has repeatedly declared its intention to preserve and protect the cables. Earlier in March, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs in Yemen reiterated that Sanaa “is keen on the security and safety of undersea cables in Yemeni waters, in accordance with international laws, treaties, and agreements.”
It pointed out that “the Republic of Yemen is also keen on the interests of the countries associated with the cables as obligated by laws, agreements, international treaties, and the common interests between Yemen and other states.”
This comes after Israeli newspaper Globes reported earlier that at least four underwater communication cables were damaged in the sea between Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in East Africa, accusing the Yemeni Armed Forces of allegedly being behind the operation.
Sanaa rejected claims made by the United States and Britain regarding the cutting of undersea cables in the Red Sea and condemned the act of sabotage, describing it as “criminal”. The Yemeni government in Sanaa affirmed on Saturday that the US-UK aggressions against the country have disrupted the undersea cables, jeopardizing the security and safety of international communications.
The piece pointed out that since the Yemeni Armed Forces began their operations in the Red Sea in November in support of the Palestinian people, Sayyed al-Houthi “has been treated like a latter-day Che Guevara, his portrait and speeches shared on social media across five continents.”
It emphasized that although it remains challenging to assess the consequences of the attacks, the Yemeni operations created a gap in the global economy.
The operations, according to the piece, turned the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement into “heroes for Arab and Muslim youths who embrace the Palestinian cause,” and even influenced Western progressives.
Elsewhere, the piece indicated that the US-British aggression did not deter the Yemeni Armed Forces, adding that “since staking claim to the Palestinian cause,” the Yemeni forces “have come to seem unstoppable.”
Sayyed Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi planted the foundations for the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen in 2004. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Arwa Makki)
The West’s failure to recognize Ansar Allah as a revolutionary movement may escalate the risk of a full-blown war, with the West paying a high price, ultimately leading to its defeat in West Asia.
The Ansar Allah movement has lately attracted international attention by boldly defying major world powers, particularly the United States, through their military actions to support Palestine amid the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.
This decision comes at a time when even larger Arab nations refrain from such interventions, despite Yemen itself enduring a decade of US-backed Saudi-led aggression and grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis due to a yearslong land, sea, and air blockade. In an attempt to thwart Yemen’s efforts and hinder Sanaa from enforcing its solidarity with Gaza, Washington and the UK launched a series of attacks on the country in recent weeks, with a plethora of media outlets shining their spotlights on the Ansar Allah, whom they call “Houthis”, hosting Orientalist pundits attempting to ‘crack their puzzle’.
The US, UK, and “Israel” persistently describe Ansar Allah as an Iranian proxy, disregarding the movement’s autonomy and independence. This misunderstanding of this revolutionary movement may escalate the risk of a full-blown war in the region, with the West paying a high price, ultimately leading to its defeat in West Asia.
So who are the Ansar Allah exactly, and what are they fighting for?
Who are the ‘Houthis’?
The term “Houthis” refers to an indigenous tribal group in Yemen that originates from the Arab Hamdani tribe residing in northern Yemen, and is a subdivision of the larger Banu Hamdan tribe. Their main settlements are concentrated in the regions of ‘Amran and Saada.
Since the early 2000s, and after the group began explicitly voicing its anti-imperialist ideology, Western countries and think tanks, trying to demoralize them and alienate them from their population, labeled them as “Iranian proxies” and “terrorists” who should be eradicated.
However, it is essential to recognize that the “Houthis” trace their roots back to the eighth century to the arrival of Zayd ibn Ali ibn Hussein in Yemen.
Zayd ibn Ali (695–740) was the son of Ali ibn al-Hussain Zain al-Abidin and the grandson of Imam Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib. He initiated a revolution against the Umayyad caliphate, leading to his martyrdom. Zayd ibn Ali’s revolution was meant to oppose injustice like his grandfather Imam Hussein, who was martyred at Karbala in southern Iraq on 10 Muharram 61 AH (680 CE) by the army of Yazid Ibn Muawiya, the Umayyad ruler at the time.
Zayd ibn Ali is recognized as a significant religious figure not only among Shia Muslims but also by many Sunnis. Notably, Sunni jurist Abu Hanifa issued a fatwa supporting Zayd against the Umayyads. Zayd remains a pivotal revolutionary figure, with many Yemenis eventually becoming Zaydis (believing that Zayd is the true imam after Hussein ibn Ali) and is universally regarded as a martyr by both Sunni and Shia traditions, one who planted the seeds of resisting oppression and of solidarity with the oppressed.
Over the years, the “Houthis” developed their own historical narrative and political movement known as Ansar Allah, which would grow to surpass the “Houthi” element. Labeling all members of the tribal confederacy in northern Yemen as “terrorists” or “Houthis” and advocating for their indiscriminate elimination overlooks the complexity of their history and political formation.
Contemporary history
Sayyed Hussein Al-Houthi, the founder of the Ansar Allah
Sayyed Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi laid the foundation for the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen in 2004. During that period, Sayyed al-Houthi described the early members of the Ansar Allah movement, before it adopted this name, as a community of believers guided by the principles of the Holy Quran. He refrained from associating the movement with specific sectarian labels, underscoring its Islamic affiliation and Quranic identity as inclusive principles capable of encompassing all Muslims.
The Ansar Allah movement stood out in its political aspect by advocating opposition to American and Israeli meddling in West Asia, especially in Yemen.
“Sayyed Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi, in several lessons given under the title ‘Lessons from the Guidance of the Holy Qur’an,’ emphasized the US’ active posturing against our nation”, Yemeni diplomat Yasser Mohesn Almohallil told Al Mayadeen English.
“Ansar Allah faced persistent harassment from the authorities during the rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh. The regime made multiple attempts to pressure Sayyed Hussein Al-Houthi into changing his well-known slogan.”
“Despite these efforts, when the authorities failed to deter him, they declared war against Sayyed Hussein and his supporters. The initial confrontation occurred in the Maran area in northern Saada after he [Saleh] returned from Washington with a shipment of weapons and U.S. trainers,” he further affirmed.
After Sayyed Hussein’s martyrdom, the leadership was transferred to his father and then to his brother Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the current leader of Ansar Allah.
How Ansar Allah evolved into a formidable US foe
Ansar Allah, originating from Quranic principles laid down in 2001 by Sayyed Hussein, faced six wars initiated by Ali Abdallah Saleh’s authority, with the sixth involving Saudi Arabia. At that time, Ansar Allah had limited resources, armed only with AK rifles, while the government possessed advanced weaponry, most notably F-16 aircraft, tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft weapons, Ansar Allah Resistance fighter Hammam Hassan said in an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen English.
“The war’s cause was attributed to Ansar Allah’s ‘Death to America, Death to Israel’ slogan, and tensions escalated after a visit by Abdul-Malik to Saada, prompting Saleh’s declaration of war,” he further added.
He went on to say that Ansar Allah, initially armed with simple capabilities, progressed from manufacturing primitive bombs in juice boxes to homemade landmines, later developing missiles like Zelzal and al-Sarkha, as per Hassan.
During the war with Saleh, Ansar Allah acquired and developed weapons to serve Yemen and other free Arab nations, he said.
Regular Yemeni fighters
Regarding the weaponry possessed by the regular Yemeni Resistance fighters, Ansar Allah Resistance fighter Hammam Hassan detailed to Al Mayadeen English that the fighters are armed, first and foremost, with their strong faith in God and a commitment to the cause they are fighting for.
“I have deduced a principle from the wars in Yemen, including the war on Gaza, and that is that when two armies meet – one with powerful weapons and another with weaker weapons – the one who will win the battle is the one with a strong cause, even if their equipment is inferior,” he said proudly.
Regular Yemeni fighters have access to widely available weapons, such as the Kalashnikov rifle and machine guns, including anti-aircraft guns.However, these weapons need to be well-maintained as they are old, he explained.
He further stressed that a regular fighter typically carries a simple machine gun, RPG launcher, or Kalashnikov, but because they are guided by principles and a strong belief, God grants them victory.
“You’ve witnessed the Yemeni fighter who, barefoot, climbed an Abrams tank – a U.S. industry icon – fearlessly captured it, and then set it ablaze with firewood back in 2016. You might wonder how such an event could unfold. It’s because the Yemeni fighter is driven by a cause, a principle, strong beliefs, and unwavering conviction, while the enemy lacks any equivalent,” he recalled.
Regarding the Americans’ ability to respond to Yemen’s attacks, he sarcastically remarked, “Let them respond. The fighters of Ansar Allah have over twenty-three years of experience and embody principles, strength, and determination. They excel in camouflaging and concealing weapons in warehouses unknown to anyone; even the fighter storing the weapons is unaware of the precise location or the name of that area. We maintain a high level of secrecy and confidentiality in such matters.”
Ground and air military capabilities
As for the ground and air military capabilities, many advanced weapons have been revealed by the Ansar Allah, particularly on the anniversary of the September 21 Revolution in 2021 and 2023.
Regarding naval weapons, locally manufactured weapons include remotely operated explosive-laden boats (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) and lethal naval mines. These weapons have been also publicly revealed. However, Ansar Allah also owns undisclosed weapons and missiles that could be deployed from vessels or the coast, Hassan divulged to Al Mayadeen English.
“Each party in the war holds cards that should not be revealed until the right moment. We could have closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait in 2017-2018 when we were besieged by countries worldwide, but with God’s grace and the wisdom of our leader, the decision to close the Red Sea passage was not taken. If we had utilized the Red Sea option, we wouldn’t have had the current capability to launch even a single shot to support Gaza,” he noted.
In the same context, Almohallil contended that Western media is trying to portray a balance in capabilities between Ansar Allah and the United States. Despite the US possessing superior capabilities, effectively countering Yemen’s tactics requires a precise military approach, an area where Washington has so far been unsuccessful, as per Almohallil.
“The United States’ becoming deeply involved in the coalition led by Saudi Arabia offered valuable field experience to Ansar Allah. This experience involved dealing with an extensive, aggressive war where coalition forces utilized a range of advanced American weapons. Ansar Allah also gained insight into the strategy behind the aggression devised by Washington, allowing them to adapt their operations accordingly. This adaptation, in turn, led to a refinement in the course of operations based on an understanding of the tactics employed by the aggressors,” he added.
‘The land fights with us’
The Yemeni terrain poses a formidable challenge for any invader, as it is widely known to be one of the most rugged and demanding landscapes on the planet. The topography of Yemen is characterized by steep mountains, deep valleys, and arid plateaus, creating a complex and difficult environment to navigate. The terrain’s rough nature not only complicates military operations but also hinders infrastructure development, making it a significant factor that shapes the strategic considerations of any foreign force operating in the region.
The Yemeni mountains present extreme challenges, making it difficult for US missiles or drones to reach their peaks, rendering such attempts futile, as per Hassan.
During the Saudi-led aggression, Yemen was closely monitored by satellites and spy drones, to the extent that if there were a stone in a certain area, a drone would come, capture an image of the stone, and if the stone moved, the drone would strike the location, he said.
“This illustrates the extent of aerial surveillance in Yemen. However, we successfully concealed weapons, tanks, and aircraft. We developed long-range missiles with a reach of up to 200, 300, 500, 700 kilometers, and even a thousand kilometers. We manufactured, stored, and launched these missiles—all by the grace of God and the skills of Yemeni resistance fighters, who possess high capabilities in concealing and camouflaging. The Americans cannot reach [find] us,” he further emphasized.
The US VS Ansar Allah
In response to Ansar Allah’s operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in support of Gaza, the United States pursued a dual strategy. Initially, the US attempted to entice the movement with financial incentives. However, when this approach proved unsuccessful, the United States opted for a more forceful response, resorting to bombing Yemen.
On this issue, a member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, Mohammad Alfareh, described the American-British aggression on Yemen as “a blatant and unjustified act that lacks legitimacy.”
He further told Al Mayadeen English that the aggression is taking place within the framework of the protection provided by the United States and Britain to the Israeli enemy, allowing it to continue its killings, atrocities, and brutal massacres in Gaza.
“In this regard, we urge all media outlets and activists on social media not to align with the American narrative, which portrays this aggression as self-defense and protection of global navigation, falsely claiming that it is a response to the killing of their soldiers. The reality is that America is an aggressor and an occupier that came from across the oceans to dominate, plunder, and destroy. The war has been ongoing since 2001 and did not start with the killing of their three soldiers,” he clarified.
Alfareh reaffirmed that Yemen’s stance towards Gaza remains unwavering, regardless of challenges and threats.
“We consider it a humane and ethical position, seeking to achieve peace in Palestine and security in our Arab region and the world,” he said.
We also assert that our people have every right to confront the American and British aggression that violates our sovereignty and independence. It is a foreign intrusion in our region. The Muslim nations have the right to support Gaza, which is witnessing the greatest massacre committed by the Zionists with American, British, and Western support, he further added.
The official questioned, “Why does the US grant itself the right to commit crimes and aggression, supporting the Israeli enemy, and then deny our right to stand by our oppressed brothers, who are championing a just cause connected to us by religion, blood, language, culture, and nationality, more than what connects the American to the Zionist?”
On the US’ attempt to lure Ansar Allah, Ansar Allah Resistance fighter Hammam Hassan divulged to Al Mayadeen English that the movement had the option to remain silent about what is happening in Gaza, as it was promised that employees would receive salaries that had been confiscated in the years past by the coalition. Salaries have been cut for ten years now, and Yemeni citizens struggle to make ends meet.However, even the simplest Yemeni citizens, including those opposing Ansar Allah, if asked whether they’d prefer to receive ten-years’ worth of salaries in exchange for the movement’s silence on the genocide in Gaza, or participate in a demonstration condemning the genocide, they would say they do not want salaries, he further stressed.
“Let me die of hunger; I would rather not stay silent about injustice. This would be the answer. This is the Yemeni people—a proud, stubborn people,” he affirmed.
“By Allah, even if our bodies are scattered in the air, we would not abandon Palestine and Gaza.”
Hassan went on to say that Yemen has nothing to lose, as essential infrastructure like schools and hospitals has been decimated due to the Saudi-led aggression. He asserts that the only thing Yemenis have in their possession amid all this destruction is their dignity.
In response to US strikes, Hassan reiterated that Ansar Allah is ready to face the United States directly, expressing weariness from engaging with the US’ proxies since 2002, accusing Ali Abdullah Saleh and Saudi Arabia of being American puppets.
Ansar Allah underscores its resistance as a matter of pride and honor, confidently stating that the US will not be able to harm them, he said.
As for the US’ ability to achieve its objective to stop Ansar Allah’s operations, Yemeni Diplomat Yasser Mohesn Almohallil commented by saying, “Drawing from this experience and considering the substantial popular support that has become a significant factor in the struggle, the United States currently seems to be struggling to develop new strategies to handle a resilient and self-directed uprising force.”
This force has proven its ability to stay steadfast, shift the balance of the battle in its favor, and adapt military tactics to achieve its goals, he further added.
“The US has found, among its diverse military options, only futile attempts in imitating the tactics utilized by Ansar Allah. These attempts appear to be aimed at creating a perception of parity to restore its strategic equilibrium,” Almohallil concluded by saying.
In short, the strength and endurance of Ansar Allah as a unified movement from its entrenched ideological principles and strategic goals adheres to an anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist agenda, centering around the Palestinian cause. Presently, the Resistance movement is united in its pursuit of two main objectives: compelling “Israel” to agree to an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, and ending the blockade on Gaza.
In the pursuit of these goals, Ansar Allah operates based on its own political convictions and strategic interests, rather than adhering to external directives. This autonomy is a key factor in why Yemen is renowned as the graveyard of its invaders.
Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent reported on a recent American-British aggression targeting the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and multiple governorates. This occurred concurrently with heightened aircraft activity in the airspace.
As per our correspondent, the American and British airstrikes focused on the regions of Attan, al-Nahdin, and al-Hafa within the capital, Sanaa.
Additionally, he reported that aircraft involved in the US-British aggression conducted over 11 airstrikes on the districts of Maqbanah and Haifan situated in the western and southern outskirts of Taiz Governorate, in the southwest of Yemen.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the American-British aggression conducted three airstrikes targeting the districts of al-Lahiya and al-Salif, situated to the north of the coastal city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea. Additionally, seven raids were reported on the al-Jar area in the Abs District within Hajjah Governorate, located northwest of Yemen.
On its part, our correspondent stated, “In addition to Sanaa, the American-British aggression has carried out more than 22 airstrikes targeting the governorates of Hajjah, Dhamar, and al-Bayda.”
According to CNN, American officials have confirmed that the United States, in collaboration with British forces, targeted 30 locations in Yemen, carrying out strikes in a total of 10 different locations.
The Russian Sputnik news agency cited a source in the local authority of Saada Governorate stating that American and British fighter jets carried out three airstrikes on the Kahlan camp, located east of the city of Saada. The source added that drones hovered in the city’s sky before the aggression raids were launched.
The American-British aggression against Yemen follows the launch of seven airstrikes on the al-Jar area in the Abs district of the Hajjah Governorate on Friday, as reported by Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.
The coastal city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea in western Yemen was subjected to multiple airstrikes at dawn on Thursday. American and British warplanes carried out the raids targeting various areas within the city.
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Yemen’s Supreme Political Council member, Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, says the maritime routes through the Red Sea are safe for any vessel except those belonging to “Israel” or heading for its ports.
Yemen | Al-Houthi to Al-Mayadeen: All options are on the table to respond to any potential American aggression
Yemen’s Supreme Political Council member, Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, confirmed in a statement to Al Mayadeen that the goal of the maritime coalition was intended to protect “Israel” and not international navigation.
Al-Houthi stressed that the discourse and statements of the Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that international navigation is safe for everyone, except for Israeli ships or those bound to the ports of the Israeli occupation.
The official also indicated, in his statement, that the US supports the massacres in the Gaza Strip, demanding that those who feel insecure in the Red Sea and seek security must stop the Israeli massacres.
Regarding the repercussions of the declared maritime coalition, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, al-Houthi confirmed that the US move is militarizing the Red Sea and impacting international shipping traffic. Al-Houthi also indicated that the Yemeni people cannot stand by idly if Yemen is exposed to US or even non-US aggressions, explaining that “all options are on the table to respond to any possible American aggression.”
Through Al Mayadeen, al-Houthi advised both Saudi Arabia and the UAE “not to stand with the Israelis in the face of those who support the Palestinian people,” considering that it is not right for Saudi Arabia to be neutral toward what is happening to the Palestinians.
Al-Houthi further declared that Yemen “would prefer if Saudi Arabia were not to take part in any alliance that supports Israel.”
In the same context, the Yemeni official also indicated that the Israeli occupation posed a threat to the future of Saudi Arabia, and noted that Egypt protected the Suez Canal when it rejected the offer to join the US-led alliance in the Red Sea.
Moreover, al-Houthi warned that any country that opens its airspace to fighter jets that bomb Yemen will be dealt with, adding that the Yemeni Armed Forces are “working to overcome the practical field challenges facing the missiles that we use to target the occupying entity.”
Al-Houthi, through Al Mayadeen,called on every Muslim “whose heart is strained by what is happening in Palestine” to withdraw their financial assets from the banks of countries that support “Israel”.
Everyone must raise their voice to stop the aggression
On his part, Yemeni Ansar Allah spokesperson Mohammad Abdel Salam reaffirmed that “normal people” living “human values” would “strongly reject the continued massacre of the Zionist enemy entity against the people of Gaza.”
Abdel Salam considered that “Israel’s” massacres were supposed to cause world concern, stating that Yemen’s naval operations were only a source of concern to the Zionist entity for pushing it to halt its aggression and lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The spokesperson warned the whole world against Israeli attempts to implicate them in expanding the confrontation to new fronts. Particularly, Abdel Salam noted that the Arab and Islamic states in the region must do all that is possible to support the Gaza Strip and not “grant” the prime minister of the Israeli occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, “a lifeline from his predicament.”
الشعوب السوية التي تعيش القيم الإنسانية ترفض بشدة استمرار كيان العدو الصهيوني في مجازره بحق أهل غزة وهذا ما يفترض أن يثير قلق العالم، أما عمليات اليمن البحرية فليست مصدر قلق لأحد سوى للكيان الصهيوني لدفعه نحو وقف عدوانه ورفع حصاره عن غزة، وكل العالم يجب أن يقف هذا الموقف وألا…
He also called on the world to “raise its voice in support of an immediate cessation of aggression and lift the siege on Gaza”, commending Malaysia’s position not to welcome Israeli vessels.
Yemen’s Ministry of Transport in Sanaa issued a statement confirming that navigation in the Red and Arab Seas was “safe for all vessels other than those of the Zionist enemy or destined for its ports”.
In its statement, the Ministry stated that vessels destined for “Israel” were subject to prevention and targeting from the Yemeni Armed Forces. The statement reassured all shipping companies, global shipping lines, and relevant organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, that this will continue until the blockade on the Gaza Strip was lifted.
A picture taken during an organized tour by the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement on November 22, 2023, shows the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, seized by the Yemeni Navy, docked in a port on the Red Sea in the Yemeni province of Hodeida, with Palestinian and Yemeni flags installed on it. (AFP)
Israeli media say “Israel” is framing the Yemeni threats in the Red and Arabian Seas as detrimental to global trade and shipping routes.
Israeli media outlets commented Saturday on Yemen’s recent decision to prohibit any ship from reaching Israeli ports via the Arabian and Red seas if Gaza’s needs for food and medicine are not met.
Tamir Hayman, the former head of the Israeli occupation’s military intelligence division, said that the Yemeni threat is a problem for “Israel’s national security” and poses a very serious strategic threat to “Israel’s maritime freedom,” pointing out that Yemeni threats would impact Israelis in terms of higher living costs.
In a related context, the military commentator for the Israeli Channel 12, Nir Dvori, mentioned that “Israel” is attempting to convey a message to the United States that the Yemeni threats are not just “Israel’s” problem but a global issue, requiring not only Israeli intervention but global attention.
Dvori emphasized that “Israel” is framing the Yemeni threats as detrimental to global trade and shipping routes, stressing the importance of addressing this matter globally rather than “Israel” tackling it alone.
On his part, Chen Herzog, the Chief Economist at BDO Consulting, warned that the Yemeni threat to maritime shipping to “Israel” could lead to a hefty economic price in living costs and supply chains, highlighting that “Israel’s” annual import volume of goods amounts to around 400 billion shekels, with 70% arriving by sea.
Herzog explained that the Yemeni threat impacts “Israel” at three levels: firstly, an increase in insurance costs for maritime transport to “Israel” due to heightened risks. Secondly, the potential shift in shipping routes from the East to “Israel” may require vessels to circumnavigate Africa instead of passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. This would extend sailing time by 30 days, resulting in increased maritime shipping costs. The third level is manifested in foreign shipping companies entirely avoiding Israeli ports to mitigate risks or due to insurance company restrictions.
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.
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.
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 cargo 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.
Yemeni sources told Al Mayadeen that the Saudi vision for a solution welcomes an extension to the existing truce in Yemen for another year, in agreement with Sanaa, and reveals that it is almost final.war
This Feb. 17, 2018, photo shows a damaged theme park in Aden, Yemen. (AP)
Informed Yemeni sources reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia had summoned the head and members of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council on the anniversary of the Council that was announced from Riyadh.
Yemeni sources told Al Mayadeen that Riyadh briefed the president and members of the Presidential Leadership Council on its unannounced meetings with the Sanaa government.
The sources pointed out that the Saudi Defense Minister, Khalid bin Salman, briefed the head of the leadership council and members of the council on the solution for a way out of the war on Yemen during their meeting yesterday.
In turn, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen briefed the Chairman and members of the Leadership Council on the details of Riyadh’s unannounced understanding with Sanaa and their outcomes.
The sources pointed out that the Saudi vision for the solution welcomes extending the truce in Yemen for another year, in agreement with Sanaa,” adding that “the vision provides for extending the truce in exchange for handing over [employee] salaries, unifying the currency, and opening the port of Al-Hudaydah completely.”
The sources explained that an extension of the truce with these new conditions will be followed by an official Saudi announcement of the end of the war and the cessation of its interference in Yemen.
Likewise, the sources reported that after an official declaration for the end of the war, a Yemeni-Yemeni round of consultations will begin under UN supervision and Saudi sponsorship,” and that the consultations will seek to agree on a transitional phase for a period of two years.
The sources stressed that the Saudi vision is based on discussing, during the transitional period, the future form of the state and the ruling government, adding that the Saudi vision for a solution in accordance with its understanding with Sanaa is still being discussed and is almost final.
The sources stated that Riyadh informed the Presidential Leadership Council of its decision to end the war and conclude the Yemeni file permanently.
Earlier, a member of the political bureau of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Abd al-Wahhab al-Mahbashi, confirmed that the Iranian-Saudi agreement is positive, and that it will have an impact on Yemen.
The big surprise! Prince Mohammed bin Salman ends the Yemen crisis once and for all and divides the government between the Houthis and the “legitimacy”
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 