SANA’A (Dispatches) -- The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) has reimposed a naval blockade on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, Arab Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. 
In a statement released late Tuesday, the YAF said the move comes “after the expiry of the specified period of the deadline issued by Sayyid Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, may God protect him, to the mediators to push and pressure the Israeli enemy to reopen the crossings and bring aid into the Gaza Strip.” 
“In view of the inability of the mediators to achieve this, the [YAF] confirms” the resumption of “the ban on the passage of all Israeli ships in the designated operational area of the Red and Arabian Seas, as well as Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden,” the Yemeni army statement said. 
“This ban shall take effect from the time of announcing this statement. Any Israeli ship attempting to violate this ban will be targeted in the declared area of operations. This ban will continue until the crossings to the Gaza Strip are reopened and aid and food and medicine supplies are allowed to enter,” it added. 
At the start of Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the YAF – which is merged with Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance movement – began maritime operations against Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, over time expanding its attacks to the Mediterranean and other bodies of water. 
As Israel’s war dragged on, the Yemeni army coupled its maritime campaign with direct drone and missile attacks on Israel. 
This prompted a violent campaign of U.S., UK, and later Israeli airstrikes on Yemen – which failed to deter the YAF from continuing its operations. 
The announcement comes as Israel has been obstructing the Gaza ceasefire deal from moving forward by demanding an extension of its first phase and refusing to engage in talks for the agreement’s second phase. It has also