Houthis say they will maintain blockade of Israeli ships after reports of asset sales

MADRID 4 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Yemeni Houthi rebels have affirmed this Sunday that they will maintain the blockade of Israeli ships, as part of their missile and drone attacks against vessels off their coasts in response to Israel’s offensive against the Gaza Strip, despite reports indicating that Israeli shipping companies are selling their assets to other companies.

The Houthi military operations spokesman, Yahya Sari, has referred to “Intelligence information” that “confirms that many companies operating in maritime transport affiliated with the Israeli enemy are trying to sell their assets and transfer their shipping properties to others. companies or register them in the name of other parties in the context of evading punitive measures adopted” by the insurgency.

Thus, he has stressed that “they will not take into consideration any change in the ownership or flags of the Israeli enemy’s ships” and has warned “all interested parties” who deal with these companies or ships that “they are subject to sanctions and have prohibited from crossing” its “area of ​​operations.

That is why the Houthi spokesperson has emphasized that they continue to “impose a naval blockade on the Israeli enemy” and will attack “all vessels that belong to, are linked (to Israel) or are heading (to its territory).” “This blockade will continue until the aggression ceases and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted and the aggression against Lebanon ceases,” he concluded, according to a statement published on his Telegram channel.

The insurgents, backed by Iran, have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and areas of the country’s north and west since 2015. The rebels have responded to the Israeli offensive on Gaza with dozens of attacks against ships with some type of connection to Israel and They have assured that they guarantee the free navigation of the rest of the ships.