Violations against Yemeni fishermen continue to escalate, with several individuals subjected to a direct attack along the coast in the Buhays area of Midi district in Hajjah Governorate, in what local sources describe as a new incident reflecting systematic targeting of civilians’ livelihoods.

Sources reported that mercenaries affiliated with the US–Saudi–UAE aggression assaulted fishermen while they were working in coastal waters, leaving three injured with varying wounds and causing damage to their fishing equipment.

The sources added that the attackers went beyond physical assault, seizing several fishing boats, detaining others, and confiscating quantities of fish. The measures inflicted significant financial losses and directly impacted the fishermen’s means of subsistence.

Residents of coastal areas condemned the practices, describing them as part of a series of repeated attacks targeting the fisheries sector, amid continued international silence over violations against fishermen at sea and along Yemen’s coasts.

Fishermen warned that the continuation of these attacks is worsening their daily suffering and threatening food security in coastal communities, calling on relevant authorities and international organizations to fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities to protect civilians and ensure the safety of workers in this vital sector.

They stressed that such acts constitute a blatant violation of humanitarian laws and norms and fall within policies of economic pressure aimed at weakening civilian resilience, while affirming their determination to maintain their right to work and live with dignity.

Yemen’s coastal regions, particularly along the Red Sea, have witnessed repeated attacks on fishermen since the start of the US-Saudi aggression in 2015, with human rights groups documenting killings, detentions, and destruction of fishing equipment. 

These violations have significantly impacted the fisheries sector, a key source of income for thousands of families, and contributed to worsening humanitarian conditions in the country.