Yemeni Forces Strike Saudi Oil Tanker in Red Sea

In a televised speech broadcast live from the Yemeni capital Sana'a on Monday afternoon, the Yemeni armed forces spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the Azman oil tanker had been targeted with a ballistic missile while sailing in the northern tip of the Red Sea. According to Press TV, General Saree added that the strike was "precise and direct," causing a fire on the main deck and forcing several other vessels in the vicinity to leave the area.

Saree stressed that the naval operation falls within the framework of implementing the Sana'a government's "siege-for-siege" equation, which seeks to retaliate against Riyadh's blockade on the Arab Peninsula nation. Yemeni forces also launched several ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones at a Saudi military convoy as it was travelling in the al-Wadiah border area in the eastern Hadhramaut province. Wadiah hosts Yemen's main land crossing with Saudi Arabia. Saree noted that the strike resulted in the destruction of more than ten trucks loaded with various types of weapons and military equipment.

Separately, Yemeni troops targeted Saudi forces in the al-Kanais area north of Ma'rib city with several ballistic missiles and drones. A number of military commanders and officers were killed and wounded in the process, and several arms depots were destroyed in Yemeni strikes. "The Yemeni armed forces will continue to enact a maritime blockade on the Saudi enemy within the declared operational zone, and will implement the siege-for-siege equation. They will respond in kind to any form of escalation," Saree pointed out.

On July 20, the Sana'a government declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, saying that the Riyadh authorities have maintained "an unjust and oppressive siege" on Yemen for nearly 12 years, "exploiting our resources and imposing a complete blockade." The Yemeni armed forces have subsequently announced many successful missions targeting Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.

Back in March 2015, Saudi Arabia, along with its allies, enforced a blockade on Yemen, launching an all-out onslaught supported militarily, politically, and logistically by the United States and certain Western nations. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have been killed, but Saudi Arabia has not succeeded in obtaining its main objective of reinstating a puppet regime that aligns with its interests. According to Mehr News Agency, these latest operations are part of the ongoing conflict.