بحارة يمنيون: لسنا مقاتلين ولا أهدافًا عسكرية

Yemeni sailors condemned today (Monday) the Houthi attacks that targeted the port and city of Al-Mokha and what they represent as a threat to navigation in the Red Sea, as dozens of them organized a protest in the city of Al-Mokha in western Taiz Governorate.

The protesters called on the international community for urgent intervention to stop the Iranian-backed Houthi threats and to provide effective protection for the waterways, ensuring the safety of sailors, fishermen, and those working in the ports. They emphasized the need for practical measures to protect international navigation and to prevent targeting the facilities and civil infrastructure that thousands of Yemenis rely on for their livelihoods.

The participants raised banners condemning the Houthi assaults on civil facilities, ports, and commercial ships, asserting that these attacks threaten the livelihoods of thousands of families, holding the Houthis responsible for targeting civil infrastructure and workers in the fishing and maritime transport sectors, as well as the human and material losses resulting from these attacks.

The participants in the statement issued on behalf of “the sailors working in the Red Sea and the survivors, injured, and families of the missing” called on the international community to take a firm stance against the repeated Houthi violations, to stand by the Yemeni people, and to work on protecting international maritime routes and deterring attacks targeting civilians and economic facilities in the Red Sea.

The statement said: The sailors of the “Tehama” ship were performing their work and waiting to return to their families before their journey turned into a tragedy that left dead, injured, and survivors bearing the scars of what they endured. Moreover, the Houthi attacks did not stop at the sailors but also targeted Yemeni fishermen and civilians, as well as the shores of the city of Al-Mokha and its historic port, causing damage to boats, property, and sources of livelihood that people depend on.

The sailors stressed: “We are not fighters... and we are not military targets,” demanding that the international community and the United Nations assume their responsibilities and hold those responsible for these attacks accountable, and take clear measures to ensure they do not recur, protecting every sailor passing through the Red Sea from becoming another victim.

The Director General of Al-Mokha Port, Abdul Malik Al-Sharabi, announced that the direct losses incurred by the port due to the Houthi attacks are estimated at around 16 million dollars, declaring a complete halt to commercial and maritime activity in the port.

Al-Sharabi warned of the economic and humanitarian repercussions of the continued closure of the port, noting that about 1,300 workers in loading and unloading have lost their jobs and sources of income due to the stoppage of maritime movement.

Meanwhile, the National Resistance and the drone unit of the Yemeni Armed Forces struck Houthi gathering centers and positions, the Iranian arm in Yemen. Military media reported that the strikes achieved direct hits on the specified targets and inflicted losses on Houthi elements.