In a warning to Yemen’s Houthis on Oct. 19, the Saudi-led coalition said using traditional boats for arms deliveries would put civilians at risk and threaten security beyond Yemen.
The coalition’s Joint Forces Command included weapons, missiles and military equipment in its warning. It also urged vessel owners to avoid helping the Houthis move such cargo to Yemen’s shores, saying cooperation could endanger their lives and property.
On Friday, Oct. 16, the coalition released footage it said showed strikes on boats, vehicles and facilities connected to weapons shipments in western Al Hudaydah province. The video showed vessels and vehicles under surveillance before strikes hit several locations, Anadolu Agency reported. The Oct. 19 statement did not identify a specific shipment or describe seized weapons.
The warning comes amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government. Separately, the Houthis described their earlier attack on Riyadh’s airport as retaliation for Saudi military action in Yemen.
The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government, a year after the Houthis seized Sanaa and other territory.
