Following a series of events on the same shipping route, a tanker related to an Israeli corporation was boarded off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, according to the maritime security organization Ambrey.
Ambrey announced that “US naval forces are engaged in the situation” following the incident with the Central Park vessel, which is owned and operated by a UK-based, Israeli-affiliated business.
Later, a US defense official said a tanker linked to an Israel-affiliated company was captured off the coast of Yemen on Sunday by unidentified armed individuals.
“There are indications that an unknown number of unidentified armed individuals seized the M/V Central Park in the Gulf of Aden Nov. 26. US and coalition forces are in the vicinity and we are closely monitoring the situation,” the official told AFP, following a series of incidents on the same shipping route.
Yemen’s Naval Forces had previously threatened to attack the tanker if it did not divert to the Hodeidah port, Ambrey said. The maritime security firm claimed that communications from a US coalition cruiser had been intercepted, instructing Central Park to disregard the signals.
The tanker was captured offshore the Yemeni port city of Aden, according to Ambrey, with another vessel in the region reporting “an approach by eight persons on two skiffs wearing military uniforms.”
This comes after an Israeli ship was targeted in the Arabian Sea (north of the Indian Ocean) on Thursday night — Friday dawn shortly before the temporary truce in Gaza came into effect.
The party behind the operation has not been specified.
In Palestine the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, said on Sunday that four of its leaders had been killed since Oct 7, including Ahmed Al-Ghandour, a member of the Military Council and commander of the Northern Brigade.
Ahmed Al-Ghandour “Abu Anas,” commander of the Northern Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades. Commander Abu Anas was a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades’ military council. Joining resistance movements in the 1980s, he survived several assassination attempts, and his wife and daughter were martyred in the 2014 war. This year, on October 7th, two of his sons ascended to martyrdom during the great crossing. He is suspected participated in the planning of the capture of Gilad Shalit in 2006.
Abu Anas was imprisoned for six years in the prisons of the zionist entity, and then for five years in the prisons of the Palestinian Authority because of his resistance activity. He was freed after the IOF bombed Saraya prison in the second intifada, returning to resistance work under the leadership of Mohammed Deif and Ahmed Al-Jabari, leading several operations and battles.
Since 2005, he led the Northern Brigade, supervising the development of its organization and military and combat tools, leading up to Al-Aqsa Flood, martyred on the path to liberation.
– Ra’fat Salman “Abu Abdullah,” deputy commander of the Northern Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades. He was one of the lions of the great crossing of October 7th.
– Ayman Siam “Abu Al-Izz,” commander of the Artillery Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades. Abu Al-Izz, humiliated “Tel Aviv,” paralyzing the depth of the entity with his resistance work.
– Wael Rajab “Abu Suhaib,” commander of the Beit Lahia Brigade in the Al-Qassam Brigades, a leader of the Al-Aqsa Flood battle.
Today, the four leaders were laid to rest after a life of giving, resistance, and sacrifice.
Glory to our martyrs.
Battles continue in Jenin and Saraya Al-Quds – Jenin Brigade suffered a few casualties during the clashes. It is likely the conflict will intensify after the ceasefire commences, and the pressure on American imperialism will reach new heights. For instance, a member of another resistance party also stated.
The U.S. administration bears the primary responsibility for this aggression. It has only tactically changed its tone, without altering its core stance, which continues to support the ongoing aggression against our people in Gaza.
The aggression will likely resume, possibly more intensely than in the first round, as soon as the current truce ends. We have prepared ourselves for this scenario.