The Yemeni Armed Forces announced early on July 27th, 2025, the commencement of the fourth stage of their maritime blockade, targeting all ships belonging to companies dealing with Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality or location, according to a statement released on X. This escalation signifies a broadening of their naval operations, which aim to impact Israel's maritime trade routes. The announcement was made by the official spokesman of the Yemeni Armed Forces, who stated it was an important announcement of escalatory options regarding the conflict in Gaza. The fourth stage includes targeting all vessels owned by companies that do business with Israeli ports, irrespective of the vessel's nationality. This development has been interpreted as an indication that U.S.-linked ships could also be included in the targeted vessels.
