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Yemeni Official: Houthi Attacks Call for More Fleets in the Region

The USS Carney, which responded to Houthi attacks (AP)
The USS Carney, which responded to Houthi attacks (AP)
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Yemeni Official: Houthi Attacks Call for More Fleets in the Region

The USS Carney, which responded to Houthi attacks (AP)
The USS Carney, which responded to Houthi attacks (AP)

A Yemeni military official on Tuesday accused the Houthis of provoking foreign fleets to come to the region through attacks targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Spokesman of Yemen’s National Resistance Forces Brigadier Sadiq Dowied saw the attacks as a service to Iran, stressing that they do not serve the Palestinian cause and undermine the sympathy of international public opinion with the innocents in the Gaza Strip.
Dowied told Asharq Al-Awsat that Yemen condemns Israel’s escalation of its crimes in Gaza, warning that tampering with the security and sovereignty of Yemeni waters and international sea lanes is a service to Iran.
The Yemeni military commander believed the Houthi attacks, most recently the attack on two ships in the southern Red Sea, were a “waste of Yemen’s sovereignty” over its waters, causing chaos and calling for more international forces and fleets in the region.
- Service to Iran
Yemeni author Nabil al-Soufi believes the Houthi attacks on “international trade” in Bab al-Mandab will increase international support for Israel.
He said the recent attacks confirm that northern Yemen has become a “loose” area for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as a camp.
Soufi noted that Iran’s other affiliates have not recorded any international violations like the Houthis, who strike international trade institutions that governments do not own in the first place.
According to him, the ships attacked belong to multinational companies managed by stock exchanges, insurance and transportation companies, and other institutions.
He said that instead of focusing on peace and using the Hodeidah port to generate profit that benefits the people, Houthis proved fundamentally that they are incapable of putting the interest of the country and the people first.
Meanwhile, researcher Ibrahim Jalal warned that repeated “Houthi adventures” targeting international shipping lines would increase insurance costs, leading to a price hike.
Jalal warned that the attacks and hijacking of ships will lead to the military presence in the Gulf of Aden and the seas associated with it.
The US Central Command (Centcom) had announced that a US destroyer engaged and shot down on Sunday a UAV launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
CENTCOM said in a statement that there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea.
“The Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS CARNEY responded to the distress calls from the ships and provided assistance.”
The statement added that the drone was headed toward CARNEY, although its specific target is unclear. “We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target of the UAVs.”

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Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)

International donors gathered on Monday in a show of support for Syria, hoping to encourage the new leaders of the conflict-ravaged country toward a peaceful political transition following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani attended the conference — the ninth of its kind — in a first for a top official from Damascus.

But the United States, one of Syria’s top donors, wasn’t expected to offer assistance as the Trump administration is reviewing all foreign aid. It contributed almost $1.2 billion to Syria and the region last year.

Ministers and representatives from Western partners, Syria’s regional neighbors, other Arab countries and UN agencies also attended the one-day meeting in Brussels, organized in haste by the European Union amid change sweeping the country.

Opening the meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026.

“We call on all of you who are here today to do the same, if possible, because at this critical time, the people of Syria need us more than ever,” von der Leyen said.

Syria's new leaders are trying to consolidate control over territory that was divided into de facto mini-states during nearly 14 years of civil war, and to rebuild the economy and infrastructure. The United Nations has estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria, while experts say that could reach at least $400 billion.

At the same time, Western governments are cutting back on aid spending, in part to use in defense budgets.

“We will give more, but we cannot fill the gap left by the US,” EU Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told reporters. "We will need to share the burden.”

Security concerns are also making donors hesitate. Earlier this month, an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen loyal to Assad triggered clashes. Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks — primarily targeting Assad’s Alawite minority sect — that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.

The EU said that it will only support “a peaceful and inclusive transition, away from malign foreign interference, which guarantees the rights of all Syrians without distinction of any kind.”

The 27-nation bloc has begun to ease energy, transport and financial sector sanctions to encourage the new authorities, but many other Western sanctions remain in place. The EU can reintroduce sanctions if things don’t go to the liking of Western backers.

Syria's foreign minister said that lifting the measures is no longer just a government demand but "a humanitarian and moral necessity.”

"We cannot talk about economic recovery and humanitarian development in Syria while restrictions continue to prevent even the arrival of medical equipment and spare parts to repair damaged hospitals and essential service facilities,” he said.

Syria's economy, infrastructure and institutions are in tatters. As a failed state, it could become another haven for extremists.

Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration, urged donors to seize this opportunity to encourage the interim government to move in the right direction.

“It’s critical that countries take advantage of the moment we’re in,” Pope told The Associated Press.

“Of course, we all want to see an inclusive Syria,” she said. “We want to make sure there’s accountability for human rights violations. But the answer is to engage more, not to engage less.”

Syrians have only a few hours of electricity each day. Water supplies are unreliable and often unsafe. Unemployment runs to 80% or 90%. Destruction is widespread.

Many government employees and experts needed to rebuild fled after the 2011 peaceful anti-regime protests were violently quelled by Assad, leading to the conflict.

The UN refugee agency said that last year around 7 million people were displaced in Syria. More than 4.7 million refugees are registered in neighboring countries, most in Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan.

The German government said that it would pledge around 300 million euros ($326 million) to help deal with the fallout from Syria’s civil war. More than half will be used to help people in Syria, with other funding supporting Syrians and communities elsewhere.

Monday's conference was also focused on meeting Syria’s economic needs. Infrastructure, health and education must be scaled up. Jobs and cash for work programs are needed so that Syrians can start to make a living.