Latest news with #Al-Basha
Forbes
2 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Israel And Yemen's Houthis Threaten To Blockade Each Other's Ports
An Israeli navy missile boat patrols in the Red Sea off the coast of Israel's southern port city of ... More Eliat on December 26, 2023. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images) Israel attacked the major Houthi-controlled Yemeni port of Hodeidah using its naval forces for the first time on Tuesday. The Israeli defense minister warned the Houthis that it will impose a 'naval and air blockade' if it doesn't cease targeting Israel with ballistic missiles and drones. Katz's threat follows similar threats by the Yemen-based group to blockade Israeli ports. However, given the vast distances and logistical resources required to impose such blockades, are these mere empty threats? 'We warned the Houthi terror organization that if they continue to fire at Israel they will face a powerful response and enter a naval and air blockade,' warned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday. Katz also declared that Israel's 'long arm in the air and at sea will reach everywhere.' Israeli missile boats hit the Red Sea Yemeni port on Tuesday morning using missile boats. Hodeidah is at least 1,180 miles from Israel's southernmost port of Eilat, also on the Red Sea. Before Tuesday's unprecedented attack, Israel invariably retaliated to Houthi attacks using fighter jets to carry out long-range strikes targeting Hodeidah, Sanaa International Airport, and other ports and economic-related targets controlled by the Houthis. The use of the warships for such a long-distance raid was notable and may signal Israel's willingness to use different tactics against the group. Katz's mention of a naval blockade comes less than a month after the Houthis declared a 'maritime blockade' on Israel's Haifa port on the Eastern Mediterranean, warning all companies and ships that the port is on its target list. 'The Houthis lack the capability to conduct a blockade. They can only threaten episodic attacks on shipping in the hopes that it will deter shipping companies from traveling to Israel,' Bryan Clark, a naval expert at the Hudson Institute think tank, told me. Mohammed Al-Basha, a Middle East security analyst at the Basha Report Risk Advisory, similarly believes that the likelihood of the Houthis successfully blockading Haifa's port remains low. 'Haifa receives its maritime traffic from the Mediterranean Sea and not the Red Sea, unlike Eilat Port (in southern Israel), which has already experienced near-closure due to repeated Houthi attacks,' Al-Basha told me. 'The Houthis do not currently possess the range or naval power to seriously affect Mediterranean shipping routes.' On the other hand, Israel's capability to enforce a blockade against Hodeidah and other Houthi-controlled ports is markedly greater. The most advanced warship in the Israeli Navy's surface fleet is undoubtedly its Sa'ar 6 corvette, which Al-Basha described as the 'central element' of Israel's expanding Red Sea presence. 'Earlier this week, the Sa'ar 6 reportedly launched only two missiles to strike berths at Hodeidah Port,' he said. 'Despite this limited action, the ship is capable of remaining at sea for more than a month, providing sustained offensive and defensive capabilities against Houthi targets as operations continue.' Outfitted with long-range precision-guided missiles such as the Gabriel V sea-skimming anti-ship missile and Delilah GL cruise missile, the Sa'ar 6 can engage targets from up to 186 mile off Yemen's coast. The small vessels also feature advanced defensive systems, including Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles and the naval version of Israel's well-known Iron Dome, the C-Dome. The corvettes can each carry an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter that can fire AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. During previous clashes with the Houthis, U.S. Navy destroyer often defended themselves and commercial shipping using expensive SM-3 and SM-6 air defense missiles to intercept Houthi ballistic missiles and drones. The U.S. has since ceased operations against the Houthis after reaching a ceasefire in early May, which did not stipulate that the Houthis must cease targeting Israel. Consequently, Israel has been going it alone against the group ever since with long-range airstrikes and now seaborne attacks. 'I think the threat to Israeli ships is about the same as that posed to U.S. destroyers, although the Israeli missile boats have less air defense capacity,' Clark said. However, the smaller Israeli missile corvettes have some advantages over their much bulkier counterparts serving in the all-mighty U.S. Navy. 'Beyond tactical missions, the deployment of the Sa'ar 6 serves as a strategic signal of Israel's intent to expand their projection of power in the Red Sea,' Al-Basha said. 'Unlike a U.S. carrier strike group, which is slower and logistically complex, the Sa'ar 6 offers speed and maneuverability, making it a more elusive and survivable platform against asymmetric threats like those posed by the Houthis.' Despite such advantages, Israel would undoubtedly find imposing even a limited blockade on Yemen significantly challenging. 'There is growing speculation that Israel may also deploy the ship to intercept suspected Iranian weapons shipments destined for the Houthis,' Al-Basha said. 'Israeli military leadership has hinted at the possibility of imposing a limited maritime blockade on Houthi-controlled ports.' 'However, enforcing a full naval blockade would be challenging due to the limited operational range of Israel's air force and navy, the high logistical and financial costs involved, and the significant threat posed by the Houthis' array of anti-ship capabilities.' Al-Basha anticipates that Israeli commandos may board vessels Israel suspects of smuggling arms to the Houthis, which would align with Israel's broader strategy of disrupting Houthi supply lines without having to commit to a full blockade. The Hudson Institute's Clark similarly believes that the Israeli Navy could 'sustain a force' at Yemeni ports to stop traffic and inspect vessels it suspects of arms smuggling. 'However, it would likely take most of Israel's naval forces to do it,' he said. Aside from its Sa'ar-class corvettes on the surface, the Israeli Navy also has a fleet of German-built Dolphin-class diesel-electric submarines armed with torpedos and cruise missiles. 'Submarines could be used to attack shipping, but it is difficult for a submarine to determine if a ship is carrying humanitarian aid or weapons,' Clark said. 'Therefore, subs are unlikely to be used to be used as part of a blockade,' Undoubtedly, Israel is much more capable of imposing a blockade on Yemeni ports than vice-versa. Nevertheless, the Houthis can credibly threaten Israel in other ways and may ultimately prove capable of harming Haifa's port. 'Looking ahead, the Houthis may attempt to escalate their campaign using advanced missile technology,' Al-Basha said. 'There are credible reports that they could deploy multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles or MIRVs on their Palestine 2 and Zulfiqar medium-range ballistic missiles.' 'A successful strike on Haifa's port infrastructure or a vessel docked in port could temporarily disrupt shipping operations and increase pressure on Israeli logistics.' The Houthis have fired repeatedly at Israel's main airport, Ben Gurion International. While they have so far failed to directly hit the airport, a Houthi ballistic missile evaded Israeli Arrow and American THAAD air defenses hit the perimeter of the main terminal on May 4. Israel responded by heavily bombing Sanaa airport and Hodeidah. Al-Basha noted there are fears that a 'single successful strike' by the Houthis on Ben Gurion or other critical Israeli infrastructure could 'change the strategic balance' in the group's favor. He noted the Houthis have 'already demonstrated determination and persistence' in targeting Israeli infrastructure. Furthermore, while Houthi threats to impose an aerial blockade over Tel Aviv were largely dismissed before May 4, that's certainly no longer the case. 'In May, about a quarter of international airlines canceled their flights to and from Ben Gurion due to the security risks,' Al-Basha said. 'That number may increase, especially after video footage showed a missile interception occurring dangerously close to a departing commercial airliner.' 'The conflict is entering a more volatile and unpredictable phase, and both Israel and the Houthis appear ready to escalate further if provoked.'
Saba Yemen
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Greater Quds" is Israeli enemy's project: More space for annexation & fewer Palestinians
Sana'a - Saba: The Zionist annexation of lands and architectural structures in Al-Quds continues, in a relentless effort to Judaize what remains of the city's features, in implementation of a settlement project that dreams of creating "Greater Quds of Israel", which comes in the context of a larger project to swallow the rest of the West Bank with all its geography. In the context, the Zionist enemy authorities intend to approve the establishment of more than 1,000 settlement units in the city of East Al-Quds, to annex settlements in the vicinity of the Palestinian city and expand its borders "and to establish a Jewish majority in it with the aim of establishing "Greater Al-Quds of Israel". According to the enemy media, "a plan to build more than 1000 housing units in East Al-Quds is expected to be submitted today for approval by the local planning and construction committee in Al-Quds" of the Zionist occupation municipality. According to the plan, "380 housing units are expected to be built in the neighborhood (settlement) "Nof Tsion" near Jabal al-Mukaber. In addition to a school, two synagogues and commercial areas." Near the Palestinian neighborhood of Sur Baher, between the kibbutz (settlement) "Ramat Rachel" and the "Har Homa" neighborhood, another 650 housing units, commercial areas, an elementary school, a synagogue, a community center and kindergartens will be built," according to the enemy media. The Zionist enemy government has escalated settlement operations in East Al-Quds. The Palestinian presence In this context, a Zionist occupation court in Al-Quds issued a decision to evict the Al-Basha family from their historic home on Al-Wad Street in the Old City, in favor of annexing it to a synagogue. Abdul Majid al-Basha told the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) on Tuesday that his family rejects this unjust decision and affirms its adherence to its legitimate right to the land and the building, which is an authentic part of Al-Quds's history and its Arab and Islamic identity. He explained that the decision gives the family two months to file an appeal, otherwise they will be forced to evacuate their historic three-story house. "This decision is not only a legal injustice but also a clear targeting of the Palestinian presence in Al-Quds," said lawyer Mohammed Mufid al-Basha, one of the family's sons, stressing that the family will take all legal measures to challenge the decision and stop its implementation. The decision comes in a systematic context of displacing Palestinian families from their houses in the Old City of Al-Quds, with the aim of changing the demographic character of the holy city. Enemy media reported that the occupation authorities last week sent a proposal to the government to promote a government decision that would expand the area of the Zionist Al-Quds municipality to include settlements built on lands classified as West Bank in the vicinity of the city. "The purpose of the proposal is to enshrine the Jewish majority in Al-Quds and strengthen it as the capital of Israel State ," the media quoted the occupation authorities as saying. On September 29, 2020, the Palestinian Center for Israeli Studies (Madar) warned that the Israeli enemy is working to build a "Greater Al-Quds" and swallow larger Palestinian areas while reducing the number of Palestinians in them. According to enemy estimates, Palestinians constitute 39 percent of the population in the city of Jerusalem in its eastern and western parts, a percentage that worries the Israeli enemy, according to statements by its officials. In addition to settlement construction in East Al-Quds, the Israeli enemy government seeks to expand Al-Quds's borders by annexing settlements built on lands classified as the West Bank in the vicinity of Al-Quds. Many large settlements are located in the vicinity of Al-Quds, such as Ma'ale Adumim, in the east, and Gush Etzion, in the south, and their annexation would significantly change the demographic balance in Al-Quds in favor of Judaization. Zionist Settlement The Israeli "Peace Now" movement, which specializes in monitoring settlement in the Palestinian territories, estimates that more than 700,000 settlers reside in Zionist settlements in the West Bank, including East Al-Quds. The United Nations and the international community consider Zionist settlements in the territories occupied in 1967 to be illegal, and call on "Israel" to stop them to no avail. In February 2025, Al-Quds witnessed a continuation of settlement, as the occupation authorities approved two new settlement projects in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, as part of the policy of Judaizing the city. In parallel, the Palestinian Authority's Al-Quds Governorate expressed its fears of new Zionist plans to approve the construction of more than 1,000 settlement units east of the occupied city of Jerusalem. A statement issued by the Al-Quds Governorate on Wednesday indicated that the settlement plan is part of a systematic policy aimed at swallowing the remaining Palestinian lands, changing the demographic reality and national identity of Al-Quds, and imposing an occupation reality through the "Greater Al-Quds" project, which is considered a war crime under international law. The statement revealed that the occupation authorities aim through the plan to expand the settlement neighborhoods of "Nof Tsion" and "Har Homa", which are located on Palestinian lands in Sur Baher and Jabal al-Mukaber, by building new settlement units, in addition to educational , commercial facilities and synagogues, as part of a relentless effort to Judaize the geographical and demographic landscape of the city. "Greater Al-Quds" Al-Quds Governorate warned of a more dangerous Zionist plan that aims to annex three huge settlement blocs, namely "Gush Etzion", which includes 14 settlements in the southwestern part of Al-Quds, "Maale Adumim", which includes 8 settlements that extend from east Al-Quds to the Jordan Valley, and "Givat Ze'ev", which includes 5 settlements, located in the northwestern part of Al-Quds, to the so-called "Al-Quds municipal borders". The statement pointed out that this means imposing "Greater Al-Quds" project on an area estimated at 600 square kilometers, equivalent to 10 percent of the West Bank. "If this project is implemented, it will lead to the dismemberment of the Palestinian geography, isolating the north of the West Bank from its south ... and eliminating any chance of establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with a capital in East Al-Quds." Al-Quds Governorate emphasized that "the right-wing Israeli government continues to accelerate the pace of land confiscation, deepen settlements, and practice the worst forms of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Al-Quds, in clear defiance of United Nations resolutions that condemn settlements and consider them illegal." Al-Quds Governorate called on the international community "to move from warnings and condemnations to imposing deterrent international sanctions on the occupying state, to force it to stop its settlement plans and racist practices." It also called for curbing the "settlement terrorism" that feeds on the protection and support of the Zionist government, in addition to the American protection internationally . The Zionist settlement phenomenon in Palestine was distinguished from other ancient and modern settlement experiences by its association with violence and the seizure of lands owned by their rightful owners by force, with prior planning to expel these populations, eradicate their civilization and eliminate their existence. Jewish settler colonialism is based on colonial and racist foundations that violate the principles of international law and international covenants, conventions and agreements. In this context, the resistance movements call on the Palestinian people to increase steadfastness, confrontation and escalation of resistance, to ignite the state of engagement through painful operations inside the occupied territories, and to deprive the occupier , his settlers of security , safety until liberation and return. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
