WASHINGTON: Houthi rebels in Yemen are threatening free movement into and out of the Red Sea with missiles, mines and other sophisticated defenses on a key strait, a top US general has said.
The Bab Al-Mandab Strait connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, a strategic passage for world trade.
Acting “with the support of Iran,” the rebels have deployed “coastal defense missiles, radar systems, mines and explosives boats that have been migrated from the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command chief Gen. Joe Votel told the House Armed Services Committee.
The installations threaten “commerce and ships and our security operations in the area,” he said. “I am extraordinarily concerned about another contested maritime chokepoint in the region,” Votel said.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is reported to support increasing military support for the Saudi-led coalition.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also recommended aiding forces from the UAE driving Houthi rebels from the key port of Al-Hodeida on the Red Sea, The Washington Post reported.
He suggested increasing air-to-air refueling and intelligence support the US military already provides the Arab coalition.
Meanwhile, the UN special envoy for Yemen said military operations are escalating and the humanitarian and economic situations are rapidly deteriorating in Yemen, which is on the brink of famine.
Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the UN Security Council to pressure Yemen’s government and the Houthis “to engage constructively” on political and security measures that he presented to them aimed at ending the war and creating a transitional government.
Ahmed told the council: “It is my firm belief that further military escalation and humanitarian suffering will not bring the parties closer together.”
Houthis threatening strategic strait, warns US general
Houthis threatening strategic strait, warns US general
Princess Reema’s Wave unveils ocean regeneration platform
- Upgraded platform provides deeper, more comprehensive data on the state of the world’s oceans and the impact of human activity
- Features an enhanced user experience, including an integrated tool powered by artificial intelligence
JEDDAH: Wave, powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute and founded by Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, has unveiled version 2.0 of its Ocean Central data platform, oceancentral.org.
The upgraded platform provides deeper, more comprehensive data on the state of the world’s oceans and the impact of human activity.
It features an enhanced user experience, including an integrated tool powered by artificial intelligence, to guide users through queries and analysis. A new ocean news section also offers English-language summaries of the latest ocean-related developments and reports from around the world.
“The evolution of Ocean Central moves us a step closer to our collective goal of ‘Ocean Regeneration within a Human Generation’,” said Princess Reema.
“The future of our oceans depends on advances in accurate data, allocating resources more strategically and making informed decisions that protect marine environments, and Ocean Central plays an important role in enabling us to focus efforts.”
The enhanced platform will be on show at the 13th annual World Ocean Summit, organized by Economist Impact, which takes place in Montreal from March 4-5. The event brings together international government ministers, policymakers, investors and business leaders from sectors including shipping, energy and tourism.
The platform integrates global targets from the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. It monitors progress towards these goals, highlights successful initiatives and identifies critical knowledge gaps.
Wave is a collective action platform dedicated to restoring a thriving ocean by 2050. Powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute, it delivers targeted interventions across four pillars — engagement, insights, sectoral activation and innovation — to advance ocean regeneration.
