In an official statement, the Yemeni Army confirmed launching two naval missiles towards the MSC ALANYA and MSC PALATIUM III, vessels destined for occupied Palestine. This action followed their non-compliance with calls and warning messages on Friday.
Emphasizing their stance, Yemen reiterated their commitment to solely targeting ships bound for Israeli ports, allowing unhindered passage to vessels heading elsewhere.
The Yemeni Army pledged to persist in targeting Israel-bound ships traversing the Arabian and Red Seas until essential supplies like food and medicine reach the besieged Gaza Strip.
Amid these events, a US defense official reported two incidents, prompting a US Navy destroyer's dispatch to aid one of the affected vessels. No casualties have been reported thus far.
Recent weeks have witnessed multiple such Yemeni Army operations against ships bound for Israel. Notably, Yemen claimed responsibility for targeting a Maersk container vessel with a drone strike late on Thursday.
Before these incidents, Yemeni forces seized a vehicle transport ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea, currently holding it near Hudaydah port.
These attacks occurred near Bab al-Mandab, a strategic strait funneling 40 percent of global trade between Yemen and northeast Africa into the Red Sea. Consequently, reports indicate a surge in insurance costs for ships navigating this route, particularly impacting larger vessels like oil tankers.
The Yemeni Army has rejected US proposals for a Red Sea maritime task force, affirming their intention to continue these actions until Israel halts its assault on Gaza, which has claimed nearly 19,000 lives, predominantly women and children.
These strikes by Yemen serve as a potent message to the West, signaling the imperative to cease the ongoing carnage in Gaza or anticipate its widespread ramifications across the region, as advocated by the Palestinian resistance movement.