Ruhollah Abdolmaleki, researcher in regional studies
In 2023, as the year wrapped up, the bravery of Palestinian fighters and the resilience of women and children in Gaza against the oppression and crimes of Zionist occupiers kept intensifying. Moving into the new year, a fresh front against the Zionist regime was launched, not only significantly damaging the regime’s international credibility but also imposing substantial economic costs on it.
Yemen's involvement in the Gaza conflict, marked by aerial attacks like missile launches at occupied territories, has showcased strategic gains for the oppressed people of Palestine and targeted vital lifelines of the Zionists. Supporters of the Zionist regime in the West have voiced concerns about these actions, openly opposing them and criticizing Yemen's Resistance movement Ansar Allah. For example, the French Foreign Minister labeled Yemen's attack on Israeli ports as a threat to the region. Moreover, a high-ranking Pentagon official said, “Houthi attacks on Israeli ports demonstrate a serious threat to regional security.”
Former US President Barack Obama, explicitly linking the security of the Zionist regime to regional security, aligns Western authorities' perception of the regional security threat with a threat to the Zionist regime's security. Apart from the isolated stance of Western countries, those typically aligned with the US have sided with the oppressor instead of defending the oppressed. In a collective and joint statement, these nations, in a new alignment, concluded their arguments by cautioning the people of Yemen about bearing the consequences of attacking the ports of Israeli regime.
Nevertheless, disregarding these threats, Yemeni resistance fighters persist in defending the oppressed Palestinians and confronting the ruthless Israeli criminals. Their actions echo the divine description of true fighters, as expressed in verse 173 of Surah Al-Imran: "Those to whom hypocrites said, 'Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.' But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee."
Subsequently, the United States and Britain issued multiple orders for attacks on Yemen. Despite this, Yemen made it clear that these assaults would not diminish their backing for the oppressed Palestinians. They continued striking against the interests of the Zionist regime. This display of courage and unwavering determination in the face of Western aggression earned admiration from supporters of the world's oppressed. Imam Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, commended the Yemeni fighters, urging them to persist in supporting the people of Gaza amidst oppression. He emphasized, “They struck a blow to the lifeline of the Zionist regime. The US threatened them, but they didn’t fear the US. That’s how they are! They didn’t fear the US. When a person fears God, he does not fear anyone else. What they did is truly and rightly an example of fighting on the path of God.”
Yemen's support for the Palestinian Cause has a history
Yemen's historical support for the Palestinians and resistance groups like Hamas goes back to the 20th century. One key reason behind Yemen's backing of Palestinian groups, including Hamas, lies in the anti-Zionist stance of Yemeni Muslims and their historical anti-colonial background. Yemen's history also shows support for Hezbollah and Hamas, including visits from Palestinian leaders. Yemen has supported Hamas through military backing. Yemen served as a channel for sending missiles and armaments to the Gaza Strip in 2006. Amid the heightened conflict led by the coalition of Saudi Arabia and Ansar Allah in Yemen, Ansar Allah fighters collaborated with Lebanese Hezbollah, expanding their arms power and transferring weapons to Hamas in Gaza. Beyond weapon supply, Yemen played a role in military attacks on Israeli targets and maritime transport associated with the Zionist regime.
After Al-Aqsa Flood Operation
The astonishing military operation by Gaza fighters into occupied territories, named Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, marked a pivotal moment in the Gaza people's struggle for the freedom of their occupied lands. In an attempt to compensate for irreparable losses, the Zionist regime unleashed its most brutal and horrendous attacks against the oppressed people of Gaza, receiving political, financial, and military support from its traditional backers in the West. A glance at the statistics of this ruthless massacre reveals that Gaza has turned into a blood-soaked stage for the Zionist regime's crimes. Over approximately 100 days of brutal operations, the regime has killed over 26,000 Palestinians, including more than 10,000 children, 120 journalists, and 7,000 women.
One of the strategies to prevent the continuation of the Zionist regime's inhumane crimes against the people of Gaza involves exerting economic and commercial pressure on this illegitimate and child-killing regime. From the beginning, Imam Khamenei called on the Islamic countries and countries of the region to undertake this crucial initiative, emphasizing strategic measures such as cutting off economic lifelines to the Zionist regime, including preventing the entry of energy and goods. Yemen, with its longstanding support for the Palestinian people as mentioned above, utilized its capacities to aid the people of Gaza and Hamas. This dealt a severe blow to the structure of the Zionist regime, as briefly explained below:
1. Attacking Israeli ports
After the Al-Aqsa Flood, Yemeni authorities swiftly came to the aid of the oppressed Palestinians, directing missile and drone attacks toward the coastal city of Eilat in the occupied territories. In October 2023, they launched a ballistic missile and several cruise missiles at the port of Eilat, escalating the intensity of the conflict in the subsequent months. This military initiative strategically deployed their military capabilities and operational focus on specific sections of the occupied territories controlled by the Zionist regime, leading Israel's War Minister, Yoav Gallant, to acknowledge that the Zionist regime is now a target for military attacks on multiple fronts. Economically, Yemeni fighters have inflicted a significant blow to the economy of the Eilat port. Israeli mid-level officials have conceded that since Yemen's attacks on Eilat and ships heading to this port in the Red Sea, the activity of the Eilat port has seen an 85% decrease.
2. Strikes on Israeli-linked commercial vessels
Despite warnings from human rights organizations about water, food, and fuel shortages in Gaza over the tragic 100-day events, the massacre of the people and the blockage of essential supplies continue. Ignoring these warnings and using their veto power to support this regime, there seems to be no alternative but reciprocal responses, limiting fuel supplies, and obstructing the free trade of the Zionist regime in international waters. Attacking commercial ships associated with Israel may negatively impact global markets and jeopardize the economic security of this regime, possibly compelling the Zionists to abandon their strategy of imposing famine, exacerbating drug shortages, and causing widespread death in Gaza due to the lack of essential necessities. To accomplish this objective, Yemen successfully disrupted maritime communications along one of the world's major transportation routes in a brief period, presenting substantial challenges to the Zionist regime's economy.
Looking at it from a different angle, there has been a global initiative against the Zionist regime, where anti-war and justice-seeking groups worldwide have been actively participating for nearly two decades through the Global BDS Movement (“Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions”). Ansar Allah's actions in Yemen bring a military aspect to this global sanctioning method. Essentially, the same rationale behind launching the BDS movement, which condemns the occupation and colonization of Palestinian territories and the neglect of the rights of Arab Palestinian citizens, aims to cut off international support for the regime. Consequently, there is a consensus to sever the economic lifelines of the regime to halt the unjust slaughter of innocent Palestinians.
Following this approach, starting from early December when Ansar Allah disrupted the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, maritime transport and the flow of goods and energy to the Zionist regime encountered interruptions. The United States, being a key supporter of the Zionist regime, declared that a US warship and several American commercial ships were attacked in the Red Sea. Western governments felt the impact of Yemeni resistance, with the French transportation group CMA CGM announcing the suspension of its maritime transport. Furthermore, the UK reported that one of its ships, crossing the Red Sea, was hit by a missile. Yemen conducted a skillful and diplomatic operation against ships heading to Zionist ports; despite the attacks, no ships were sunk, and the crews faced no serious harm except in self-defense. As a result, major global shipping organizations advised ship owners to avoid this perilous maritime region, leading to a 50% reduction in ship movements through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Additionally, the Qatari government-owned energy company halted the transportation of liquefied natural gas through the Red Sea. This dealt another blow to the Zionist regime in the maritime trade sector.
Yemen's recent actions have stirred hope across Islamic nations. The Yemeni people's support for the Palestinian cause has garnered remarkable popularity and backing in West Asia, as reported by the Times of Israel. On the flip side, the prospect of a bright future for the Zionist regime appears doubtful, with analysts cautioning that its image and global standing have dwindled. Even if it pursues victory in this crisis (which is far from taking place), it's suggested that it might result in a "pyrrhic victory."
(The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Khamenei.ir.)
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