At least five merchant vessels carrying food are stuck off the country, Reuters said, as warships from a Saudi-led coalition search them for weapons bound for Iran-allied Houthi rebel forces.

The 59,000–dwt Greek bulker Lycavitos (built 2007), carrying 47,250 tonnes of wheat, waited outside Yemeni waters for nearly a week before it was cleared to enter al-Saleef by Egypt's navy on Tuesday.

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