Yemeni FM: Houthi Immoral Aggression Continues

A Houthi boat in the Red Sea, where the group controls Hodeidah ports (EPA)
A Houthi boat in the Red Sea, where the group controls Hodeidah ports (EPA)
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Yemeni FM: Houthi Immoral Aggression Continues

A Houthi boat in the Red Sea, where the group controls Hodeidah ports (EPA)
A Houthi boat in the Red Sea, where the group controls Hodeidah ports (EPA)

Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak affirmed on Thursday that the Houthi aggression in Yemen continues "using immoral methods," accusing the group of thwarting peace efforts.

Bin Mubarak referred to the economic war the group was waging by targeting financial capabilities, facilities, and oil tankers with Iranian drones, which halted oil exports.

The Yemeni government seeks diplomatic support for its legitimate position.

Speaking to diplomats at the Hungarian Academy on the sidelines of his visit to Budapest, the Yemeni minister said that the ongoing conflict in Yemen runs between a group represented by a legitimate government seeking to preserve their freedom and basic rights and liberate their land and an aggressive sectarian Iran-backed militia seeking to establish a repressive, tyrannical regime.

Saba reported that bin Mubarak met Arab ambassadors and discussed with them the recent political developments in his country and the negative attitude of the Houthi militia towards efforts to achieve peace.

Official media reported that bin Mubarak touched on Iranian interference in Yemen affairs, Tehran's establishment of sectarian militias, and its attempts to replace sects with states and militias instead of armies to achieve its expansionist ambitions.

He indicated that the group is pressuring businessmen in areas under its control to stop importing through Aden Port.

They want to prevent the distribution of subsidized gas extracted from Maerib in areas still under militia control and replace it with Iranian gas, to be sold for Houthis' benefit.

The FM discussed the negative and non-constructive position of the Houthi militia towards the peace process, accusing it of thwarting efforts aimed at stopping the war and ending its disastrous humanitarian repercussions.

- Economic decline

Meanwhile, the Yemeni government suffers from severe economic conditions due to the cessation of oil exports because of Houthi attacks, amid fears of a resumption of battles.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Waed Bathib, said before The UN High-Level Political Forum in New York City that the crisis is worsening in Yemen.

He explained that 60 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity and 80 percent needs humanitarian assistance, adding that about 4.3 million people have been displaced.

Bathib pointed to the high external indebtedness in his country and the economy's contraction by more than 50 percent of the GDP, pointing to the decline in public revenues, the rise in poverty to about 80 percent, and the worsening financial situation as a result of the Houthi militia's targeting of oil export ports by drones.

Furthermore, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, confirmed that progress had yet to be made to renew the truce and launch peace talks, despite the UN, international, and regional efforts.

Alimi accused Houthis of seeking to perpetuate chaos and starve Yemenis in all regions.

The Houthis have threatened to attack oil export ports and target cargo ships if the legitimate government resumes exports.

The militias rejected international and regional proposals to renew and expand the truce and agree on coordinated steps to pay the salaries of public employees.



Lebanon’s Rocky Terrain Makes Tunnel Digging Easy for Hezbollah

Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
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Lebanon’s Rocky Terrain Makes Tunnel Digging Easy for Hezbollah

Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)
Entrance to a border tunnel destroyed by the Israeli army at the Lebanon border in 2019 (AFP)

Hezbollah is using Lebanon’s rocky landscape to dig tunnels in mountains and valleys, aiming to hide from Israeli airstrikes and launch attacks from what are considered safe areas.

Due to limited details on how these tunnels are built or their specific purposes, experts believe Hezbollah uses this method as an alternative to open combat under Israeli aircraft.

Retired Brig. Gen. Fadi Daoud told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hezbollah’s tunnel strategy forces Israel into difficult underground warfare, a challenging type of combat in military terms.

Daoud explained that tunnel networks “take away key advantages from the enemy.”

“Even though the Israeli military has a powerful air force for reconnaissance and airstrikes, tunnels prevent them from seeing targets. This has reduced the effectiveness of the air force and limits its ability to maneuver,” said Daoud.

He also noted that the Israeli military is prepared for tunnel warfare, with weapons like the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, sponge bombs, and Bunker Buster bombs, which can destroy tunnels up to 60 meters deep. However, using these weapons depends on the situation.

Regarding Hezbollah’s tunnel network, Daoud mentioned that while there isn’t exact information, it is believed that the area from the border to seven kilometers inside Lebanon is likely covered by an underground tunnel system.

This is why Israel wants Hezbollah pushed beyond the Litani River, as it thinks there are no tunnels beyond that point. However, Daoud emphasized that these are only estimates, and no one has confirmed information.

Israeli studies suggest that Hezbollah has built a complex underground tunnel network in Lebanon, stretching for several kilometers.

These reports highlight how Hezbollah benefits from Lebanon’s natural landscape, which makes tunneling easier. Modern tunneling equipment is expensive and not widely available, even to the Lebanese government, with some tunnels taking years to complete.

Dr. Tony Nemer, a geology and seismology expert at the American University of Beirut, explained that Lebanon's rocks are mainly limestone.

When exposed to water containing carbon dioxide, the rocks form carbonic acid, which can hollow out the limestone. This natural process has led to the formation of many caves in Lebanon.

Nemer pointed out that the karstic nature of these rocks makes digging tunnels easier.

He noted that while most of Lebanon’s rocks are limestone, there are also some sandy and volcanic rocks, but these make up only 15%-20% of the country’s terrain.