The Yemeni Armed Forces announced a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers, identified as “ENCELIA” and “LAYLA”, noting that the vessels had violated a ban imposed by the Yemeni side.
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the operation was carried out using a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, adding that the strikes accurately hit their targets.
Saree said the operation came as part of ongoing maritime operations, adding that the Yemeni Armed Forces had also forced approximately 10 ships to retreat and return.
Later, the Saudi General Authority for Transport admitted that the Saudi-operated vessel ENCELIA came under attack while sailing in the Red Sea, causing a fire to break out in the ship’s bow.
The authority confirmed that all crew members are safe, adding that the relevant authorities have taken all necessary measures to secure the vessel and its crew.
Yemen warns KSA against any blunders
Meanwhile, the military spokesperson vowed that the Yemeni Armed Forces would continue their maritime operations against the Saudi enemy and maintain a “blockade for blockade” response.
The Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson warned Saudi Arabia against carrying out any blunders or aggression against Yemen, saying any such action would be met with major operations deep inside Saudi territory.
The statement did not provide further details on the reported condition of the two tankers or whether there were any casualties or material damage.
Sanaa cautions Saudi amid enforced seige
Major General Mohammad Al-Qadri, commander of Yemen’s Coastal Defense Forces, announced on Tuesday that the decision to impose the maritime navigation ban on Saudi Arabia had entered into force as of Monday afternoon, stressing that economic security can no longer be separated from military security and that all options remain open, with the highest level of readiness maintained.
According to al-Qadri, the Yemeni naval forces possess the combat capability required to enforce the decision, just as they previously acted against the Israeli enemy by preventing its vessels from passing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
He said Yemen had become a formidable regional power, with military capabilities that enable it to establish new deterrence equations.
The two options facing Saudi Arabia
The Coastal Defense Forces commander stressed that Saudi Arabia now faces only two options: either lift the blockade and end its intervention, or continue escalating, which he warned would come at Riyadh’s own peril.
He affirmed full readiness to implement the equation of “blockade for blockade, airports for airports, and ports for ports.”
Al-Qadri said that, four years after the truce, the Saudi regime continues to engage in maneuvering, stalling, and evading implementation of the agreement reached under UN and Omani auspices, forcing Yemen to move toward direct, field-based deterrence measures.
He also said that Sanaa is more committed than any other Arab capital to avoiding confrontation with any country in the region, but that Saudi Arabia had left Yemen with no other option.