Yemen Ensures Safe Passage for Int’l Ships, Vows More Ops attacks on “Israeli” Vessels

By Staff, Agencies

Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement has promised a safe passage for international ships sailing in the Red Sea as the country’s armed forces ramp up their retaliatory operations on “Israeli”-owned and -bound vessels in support of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Mohammad al-Bakhiti, a member of Ansarullah’s politburo, made the statement in an interview published by the Russian daily Izvestia on Friday and said the Red Sea was safe so long as ships transiting the strategic waterway were not linked to “Israel”.

“As far as ships from all other countries, including Russia and China, are concerned, their navigation in the region is not under any threat whatsoever,” al-Bakhiti said, noting that “Moreover, we are ready to ensure the safe passage of their ships in the Red Sea, because free navigation plays a significant role for our country.”

Stressing those operations on vessels “in any way connected with ‘Israel’” will continue, he added, “Ansarullah does not pursue the goal of capturing or sinking this or that sea vessel. Our goal is to raise the economic costs" for the “Israeli” entity "in order to stop the carnage in Gaza.”

The Ansarullah official also defended the resistance group’s seizure in November of the Galaxy Leader, which was a commercial vessel linked to an “Israeli” businessman, as “a precautionary step for everyone else to follow our requirements.”

Al-Bakhiti added that the ship’s crew, who are still being held, “are fine, and we are giving them a warm welcome.”

Earlier on Friday, Yemen's Armed Forces announced a fresh missile strike against another American ship in support of Palestinians in Gaza, saying the operation was carried out “with appropriate naval missiles, resulting in a direct hit."