Yousef Mawry
Press TV, Sana'a
The Saudi-led coalition has once again detained two fuel ships, preventing them from reaching the crucial western Yemeni port of Hodeidah. The Yemeni Petroleum Company says the two fuel vessels were detained despite obtaining the necessary permits and being cleared from inspection in the port of Djibouti.
Preventing fuel ships from entering Yemen continues to take its toll on the country’s battered economy. It has led to an increase in food prices and basic supplies and has made life harder for Yemeni people as Saudi Arabia continues its blockade.
Rasheed al-Hadad, an economic expert, says the seizure of fuel ships is just one of many war tactics employed by the Saudi-led coalition to put pressure on the Yemeni people.
Considering the expected rise in shipping prices, Talal, a local fruit merchant, says he will be forced to raise his prices if no fuel enters the country.
The Yemeni government says the illegal seizure of Yemeni oil is an act of war and a violation of Yemen's sovereignty which will be met with force if continued.