Yemen’s defense minister issued a stern warning to the US and its allies on Monday, vowing to turn the Red Sea into a “graveyard” if the newly formed maritime task force takes any action against Yemen. Major General Mohammad al-Atifi cautioned that the Yemeni Armed Forces possess the capabilities to sink warships, submarines, and aircraft carriers of the US-led coalition.

This warning comes in response to the Pentagon’s announcement of a coalition, which includes Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, and the UK, to patrol the Red Sea following Yemeni strikes on ships bound for Israeli-occupied territories. In retaliation for Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip, Yemen targeted ships heading towards Israeli ports, prompting the formation of the coalition.

Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement also pledged to confront the US-led coalition, emphasizing that any aggression against Yemen will result in military and prestige defeat for Washington. While stressing their commitment to safe navigation at sea, they made it clear that their actions are only directed against the interests of the Zionist regime and vowed to confront any coalition created by the US in the Red Sea.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces have painful options, which they will employ in response to any act of aggression against their homeland. We only target ships that are either Israeli-owned or heading towards Israeli ports,” said Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of Ansarullah’s political bureau.

BP halts oil, gas shipments through Red Sea

Furthermore, the British oil and gas giant has halted all shipments of energy through the Red Sea after an increase in attacks on Israel-bound ships by the Yemeni Armed Forces in Yemen, including two further strikes on Monday.

BP said it had paused shipping in the region indefinitely, citing a “deteriorating security situation” amid tensions in the aftermath of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

Source: Agencies and Al-Manar English Website