News - Yemen: Yemen's Minister of Defense Major General Mohammed Al-Atefi affirmed Yemen's commitment to safeguarding international navigation in the Red Sea while asserting its right to protect maritime interests within its territorial waters.

During his visit to Navy, Coastal Defense, and Fifth Military Region personnel on the western coast, Al-Atefi stated, "We guarantee the safety of the Red Sea for global trade and navigation, with the exception of vessels linked to or belonging to the Zionist entity."

He clarified that the Red Sea, spanning from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el-Mandeb, is now off-limits to the Zionist entity. Any ship affiliated with it found within these waters will face detention or strikes.

"The Navy, Rocketry Force, and Air Force are ready to launch severe individual and collective strikes against fixed or moving targets belonging to the Zionist entity, in support of our people in Gaza. Missile and drone attacks will continue until the Zionist entity ceases its aggression," he asserted.

Al-Atefi emphasized the Zionist entity's obstruction to peace and stated that regional peace depends on its eradication. He referenced a fall of the entity on October 7, indicating an imminent change in the Arab region's map.

He highlighted the Zionist entity's failure and its previous alignment with Western nations to occupy Palestinian territories. He stressed the impending establishment of a Palestinian state across all Palestinian lands.

Regarding Arab nations, he hailed the emergence of leaderships, particularly commending Yemen under Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi's guidance. He also condemned nations embracing normalization with the Zionist entity, predicting their fall and disgrace in history.

Major General Al-Atefi cautioned against aligning with the Zionist entity, warning of humiliation and harm to reputation and interests. He cautioned the US against entering the conflict, foreseeing losses and advising against being pulled into the entity's conflicts.

He reiterated Yemen's readiness to target the Zionist entity across the Red Sea and highlighted successful missile strikes on critical targets. He affirmed readiness to inflict significant blows on the Zionist enemy.

The Minister of Defense conveyed the praise and encouragement of Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi and President Mahdi Al-Mashat to the fighters.

He continued, "We're grateful for our freedom and sovereign decision-making. The era of coercion, inducement, and intimidation is long gone. It's imperative for nations worldwide to engage with Yemen with goodwill, recognizing it as an independent state with its esteemed capital, Sana'a." He reaffirmed Yemen's solidarity with the Palestinian cause, standing by the Palestinian people and the resistance until the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al-Atefi highlighted Yemen's transformation into a significant, forceful, and influential country, playing a pivotal role in various global equations.

For his part, Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdulnabi, the Navy commander, expressed gratitude for the Minister of Defense's visit to the detained ship, acknowledging it as a significant achievement in conducting sea combat missions. He remarked, "To those unaware or misrepresenting our actions, it's not surprising when we engage in combat operations against Israeli ships in the Red Sea. This is the stance of the Yemeni people and their leadership, embodied by Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi."

The Navy commander emphasized Yemen's distinct position, committed to its tasks until the Zionist entity ceases its aggressive actions against Gaza.

Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Nageeb Dhmran, the Hodeidah naval base commander, asserted that Yemen's support for Palestinians isn't a fleeting decision. Yemen has experienced what the Palestinian people endure, facing blockades, aggression, and infrastructure destruction.

He stated, "Those who claim to be our brothers yet fight against us for the Zionist entity have conspired against Yemen. Today, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, representing the aspirations of the Arab nation." He underscored that Yemen's support for Palestine reflects the unified will of its people.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long suppression and devastation against Palestinians.

More than 16,000 Palestinians have been killed in the US-backed war, most of them women and children.

Yemeni forces have launched several ballistic missiles and drones at the Israeli-occupied territories since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza.

The Yemeni armed forces said last Sunday that they fired missiles at two Israeli ships in the Red Sea.

Also on November 19, the Yemeni army naval forces boarded a commercial ship believed to be ultimately owned by a major Israeli businessman linked to the Tel Aviv regime.

Yemen Armed Forces Zionist Palestine