Yemen Says It Targeted Eight Saudi Oil Tankers in Sea Blockade
Yemen’s armed forces announced that eight Saudi oil tankers were targeted between July 20 and August 19 as part of what it described as a “sea blockade.”
Yahya Saree, spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces, said five tankers were targeted in the Red Sea and three others in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
He also claimed that during the same period, 48 Saudi tankers were prevented from passing and were forced to turn back. According to Saree, 34 tankers were turned back via the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean route, and 14 via the Red Sea route.
The spokesperson said these actions were carried out under the policy of “blockade in response to blockade.” He added that the forces follow three principles: mutual blockade, targeting gatherings of Saudi forces, and protecting Yemen’s sovereignty.
Saree also said that in response to Saudi air strikes on Sanaa airport and the Hodeidah port, nine military operations were carried out against Yanbu, Najran, Jizan, Abha and oil supply lines in the Eastern Province. He claimed the operations were conducted to counter violations of Yemen’s airspace, particularly in the governorates of Saada and Hajjah.
According to him, 14 additional operations targeted gatherings of Saudi forces in al-Ruweik, al-Abr, al-Wadiah, Marib and al-Mokha. Saree claimed that as a result of these attacks, a number of Saudi forces, including commanders and officers, were killed or wounded, and their equipment and depots were destroyed.
He also claimed that two Saudi military ships carrying weapons and reinforcements were sunk and set on fire in al-Mokha. According to Saree, more than 10 warships of the Saudi-led coalition were also targeted in the Red Sea.
The spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces also warned Saudi Arabia that any escalation would be met with a broad response. He called for an end to the blockade, implementation of agreements, an end to attacks, payment of salaries, the withdrawal of foreign forces and the return of the Yemeni people’s wealth.
In the final part of his remarks, Yahya Saree urged Yemenis fighting alongside the opposing side to leave enemy camps. Yemen, in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, has a strategic location, and the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the port of Hodeidah are among the country’s key flashpoints and maritime transport routes.
