This is a thread specifically for the war, not a general megathread (use the pinned /c/genzedong thread for that).

Please keep related news in this thread rather than making separate posts. Remember to include sources and avoid spreading rumours.

Previous megathread

  • Malkhodr @lemmygrad.ml
    16·
    12 days ago

    ❗️Ansarallah weighs commercial vessel tolls for Bab al-Mandab passage

    Expand

    Yemen’s Ansarallah is considering imposing transit fees on commercial vessels navigating the Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to regional officials familiar with discussions who spoke with Reuters.

    This proposal surfaced one week after the resistance movement declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on 20 July, thereby placing another vital energy and trade corridor under direct pressure. The strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait serves as the critical maritime bottleneck connecting the Gulf of Aden to the southern Red Sea, ultimately feeding traffic into the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

    Sources indicated that Ansarallah could levy tolls on the majority of commercial traffic utilizing the waterway, though a specific implementation timeline has not yet been established. Ansarallah’s official media office did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters regarding the prospective fees.

    Two regional officials briefed by Iran disclosed that Iranian representatives reviewed the proposal directly with Ansarallah delegates who traveled to Iran in July to attend the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

    https://t.me/thecradlemedia/65234

    The Cradle has done this a few times where they use Western sources and claim “sources say” as if it’s a factual statement. However this story, and another about China that I’ll post in a bit, is something that I really disagree with the reporting on.

    How exactly would Reuters get this information? What are their sources, because I highly doubt they have access to channels communicating with Anserallah. If they are just reporting on speculation based on statements by Yemen, then include that in your report, don’t just leave it as “Reuters says” or miscellaneous sources.

    I just do not like treating Western state department mouth pieces like they’re at all trustworthy unless they prove themselves to have competently compiled information.

    • Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml
      7·
      12 days ago

      This is a major failing of many “alternative” news outlets. They are so concerned with being “legitimate news” that they feel they must report on every little story that is out there. There is also this compulsion to be the one to “break” a story to the point that they will do so before finding out if it is true. Too many ego driven headline chasers.

      And what is with telegramers putting a watermark on a video that they didn’t make? They just have this big web of sources and they catch people’s videos bundle them up inject their watermark and suck up all the digital capital.

      • Malkhodr @lemmygrad.ml
        8·
        12 days ago

        I’d be more fine with this if they eitheir:

        A) reported on an anti-imperialist movement’s commentary on the subject. Which allows them to maintain the veneer of “neutrality”.

        Or

        B) added commentary on the potential reasons for why a western outlet is saying something if it’s not self evident.

        That is what I have tried to do when interpreting news to the best of my ability, but frankly I believe those constantly reporting on events should be more well equipped than myself on that field. Western media not only provides information, it converts that information in a way that benifets the endeavor of imperialism. Anti-imperialists should learn from this behavior and dismantle it.

        I can understand the need to appear neutral to the masses. It’s not lost on me the reason why anti-imperialist media tailored towards the masses does so. However, if you’re going to report on “speculation” by imperialist media, you should be delving into the reason why this speculation is being aired out in public.

        Yemen charging tolls on Bab Al-Mandab is objectively benifecial to the goals of decolonizing the region at this moment. I could very easily see them implementing such a toll as a part of their political calculation. However why exactly would Reuters, seemingly only siting the words of the defunct Saudi Puppet regime in exile, exclaim that this development exists?

        Most likely to shore up more support amongst the imperialist camp to try and take a more active role in fighting the Houthis. The Saudis as well, who are the puppet string holders to the exiled Yemeni regime, have an interest in letting the imperialists put their attention to Yemen over other priorities. There’s also the fact that countries on the Red Sea/directly after the Bab Al-Mandad, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, etc, could have their population susceptible to propaganda efforts that turn them against Yemen.

        Those are just the surface level points that can be analyzed, with more that could be expanded upon by someone familiar with the region, as The Cradle obviously is. So to not include such context and simply parrot the statements of imperialists is extremely frustrating.

        I don’t expect a detailed breakdown of every source, but when reporting on something, that sounds beneficial from your political perspective, is being done by your opposition, it’s paramount to take pause and ask why. Even if it might be true, and as I said, beneficial to your political posture, you do not want to lend imperialist media legitimacy where there is none.

        I could probably go on, but I think I’ve belabored the point enough.