In a statement, Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated that the 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 declaration was in response to the U.S. veto of a UN Security Council resolution for ceasefire in Israel's genocide of Palestinians. Yemen has been the only force in the region other than Iran (and Hezbollah in Lebanon) to take meaningful steps to push back against Israel. While their efforts to date have had little impact, this new move may apply at least some pressure.
Yemen's Information Minister Daifallah al-Shami confirmed in an interview with Lebanon based Al Mayadeen that the blockade will remain in place until a "permanent and comprehensive support mechanism for the Palestinian people is established."
The Minister did not specify if the blockade includes American ships. Yemen had reportedly already fired missiles at one American naval ship, without causing much damage.
Al-Shami did confirm that all other shipping won't have anything to worry about.
A naval blockade is something that the UN Security Council should have put in place many weeks ago after it became apparent that Israel was committing war crimes by targeting civilians, journalists, medical workers and facilities, and aid workers. But, the Security Council has proven itself useless by design because it only takes one permanent member to veto any resolutions approved by most or all others.
A new international peace-keeping and security organization is urgently needed that excludes hopelessly corrupt nations such as the U.S. and UK and doesn't allow one member to void the decisions of the majority. BRICS has enough power to launch such an organization, and if Palestine was made a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it could impose a safe zone and stop the slaughter of innocent people.
Unfortunately, self-serving China and Russia both have too much to gain from the continued genocide of Palestinians. Allowing the criminal insanity to continue is weakening Israel, the U.S., UK and their supporters. Some may believe that ending American hegemony and war-mongering is worth the sacrifice of tens of thousands of Palestinians because it could save millions of lives later. But, Russia and China are both guilty of the massacres of tens of millions of their own people. Stalin killed some 25 million Russians while China's beloved Chairman Mao Zedong was responsible for the deaths of some 45 million Chinese.
If Palestinians are hoping for someone to save them, it won't likely be China or Russia. Nor will it be Arab or most other Muslim nations. The most powerful Arab nation, Saudi Arabia, has turned its back on the Palestinians and Egypt is blocking them from finding safety by crossing Gaza's southern border into the Sinai. Saudi Arabia is reportedly paying Iran to stay out of the conflict directly, but it is still supporting Yemen and Hezbollah.