News - Yemen: Yemen's President Mahdi al-Mashat reaffirmed Yemen’s firm commitment to safeguarding freedom of navigation for all, except for the Zionist enemy and those complicit in its aggression against Gaza.

In statements on Monday, President al-Mashat emphasized, “We have no intention to target anyone not involved in supporting the Zionist enemy,” clarifying that Yemen’s military operations focus strictly on halting Israeli attacks and lifting the siege on Gaza.

He announced the establishment of a Humanitarian Operations Center to coordinate with international shipping companies in order to minimize unintended harm, describing this initiative as part of Yemen’s responsible approach to regional maritime security.

The President issued a clear directive to all shipping companies: “Compliance with the instructions and decisions of our Armed Forces is mandatory. Anyone who chooses to ignore them will bear the consequences.”

Al-Mashat also urged all entities to refrain from dealing with assets affiliated with the Zionist regime, reiterating that Yemen’s increasingly capable and disciplined military forces will persist in their operations until the aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted.

Since the Zionist aggression on Gaza began, Yemen has escalated its naval operations in three stages—starting with a Red Sea ban on Israeli shipping, then targeting enemy-affiliated vessels, and expanding to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

The sinking of the Magic Seas vessel marked a key escalation after repeated violations by its parent company entering Israeli-occupied ports despite Yemeni warnings. Yemeni Naval Forces issued multiple radio warnings to the ship, which refused to comply.

The attack involved unmanned boats setting the ship on fire, followed by a special forces raid that ended with the vessel’s destruction and sinking. This operation, documented in video and audio, sent a strong message to companies violating Yemen’s maritime blockade, demonstrating Yemen’s growing naval capabilities and commitment to pressuring Israel through maritime control.