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Yemeni Naval Forces Ready to Safeguard Red Sea Maritime Security

Patrol boats affiliated with the Yemeni coast guard off the port of Mokha in the southern Red Sea (Saba News Agency)
Patrol boats affiliated with the Yemeni coast guard off the port of Mokha in the southern Red Sea (Saba News Agency)
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Yemeni Naval Forces Ready to Safeguard Red Sea Maritime Security

Patrol boats affiliated with the Yemeni coast guard off the port of Mokha in the southern Red Sea (Saba News Agency)
Patrol boats affiliated with the Yemeni coast guard off the port of Mokha in the southern Red Sea (Saba News Agency)

In the face of mounting Houthi assaults on global maritime traffic in the Red Sea, Yemeni government forces are actively preparing to embark on maritime security missions in the regional waters.
This development unfolds in tandem with global initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges presented by the Iran-backed militant group.
Houthis recently targeted a Norwegian-flagged ship off the coast of Yemen near the port of Mokha, resulting in damage to the vessel.
In another incident, the French military announced intercepting and destroying a Houthi drone, marking the second naval interception operation by the French Navy in the Red Sea.
On his part, Brig. Gen. Tariq Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), conducted a review on Tuesday of symbolic naval formations from the Coast Guard and the First Marine Brigade in the city of Mokha in the Taiz governorate.
According to official media, the review showcased the high readiness of Yemeni forces to carry out their duties in safeguarding peace and security within maritime borders in the western coastal sector.
Brig. Gen. Saleh, who also leads the National Resistance forces (NRF) in western Yemen, emphasized “the importance of maintaining high vigilance and remaining in constant readiness to confront any aggressive risks that threaten ports, coasts, liberated islands, and regional waters.”
Moreover, he emphasized that achieving stability in Yemen is the primary objective in developing any military force.
Brig.Gen. Saleh asserted that the aggressive actions of Iran’s proxy in Yemen are geared towards harming Yemenis, destabilizing the country, and interfering with regional waters.
These activities, he stated, serve to safeguard Iran's interests and its overarching project, which aims to control international waters in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb.
On Monday, Brig. Gen. Saleh met with a Saudi military delegation led by Brig. Gen. Hussein Awad Al-Harbi.
According to state media, the meeting discussed the readiness of the Yemeni naval forces and coast guard to secure and protect Yemen’s maritime borders within the region’s efforts on both banks of the Red Sea to maintain the security and safety of the region.
The meeting also explored ways to support and enhance the capabilities of the Yemeni Navy.
The aim is to strengthen their role in securing Yemen’s maritime borders and protecting them from terrorist threats along the Red Sea coasts.
This aligns with regional initiatives to uphold the security and peace of the area, preventing conflicts and tensions.
As reported by the Saba News Agency, Brig. Gen. Saleh and Brig. Gen. Al-Harbi also emphasized commitment to ongoing coordination and collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
They underscored joint efforts to safeguard international shipping routes in the Red Sea, with a shared goal of maintaining the security and safety of the region.

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Arab World

Airstrike Kills 27 in Central Gaza, Fighting Rages as Israel’s Leaders Get Increasingly Divided

Palestinians reported more airstrikes and heavy fighting in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli troops for months and where the World Food Program says a famine is underway (File photo)
Palestinians reported more airstrikes and heavy fighting in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli troops for months and where the World Food Program says a famine is underway (File photo)
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Airstrike Kills 27 in Central Gaza, Fighting Rages as Israel’s Leaders Get Increasingly Divided

Palestinians reported more airstrikes and heavy fighting in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli troops for months and where the World Food Program says a famine is underway (File photo)
Palestinians reported more airstrikes and heavy fighting in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli troops for months and where the World Food Program says a famine is underway (File photo)

An Israeli airstrike killed 27 people in central Gaza, mostly women and children, and fighting with Hamas raged across the north on Sunday as Israel's leaders aired divisions over who should govern Gaza after the war, now in its eighth month.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces criticism from the other members of his War Cabinet, with main political rival Benny Gantz threatening to leave the government if a plan is not created by June 8 that includes an international administration for postwar Gaza. His departure would leave Netanyahu more reliant on far-right allies who support full military occupation of Gaza and rebuilding of Jewish settlements there.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Netanyahu, and the his office said in a statement they focused on Israel's military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, humanitarian aid and hostages held in Gaza.

Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood, saying Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza and partner with local Palestinians unaffiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

The US said Sullivan said Israel should “connect its military operations to a political strategy” and proposed measures to ensure more aid “surges” into Gaza.

In recent weeks, Hamas militants have regrouped in parts of northern Gaza that were heavily bombed in the war's early days.

The airstrike in Nuseirat, a built-up Palestinian refugee camp in central Gaza dating back to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, killed 27 people, including 10 women and seven children, according to records at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah, which received the bodies.

A separate strike on a Nuseirat street killed five people, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service. In Deir al-Balah, a strike killed Zahed al-Houli, a senior officer in the Hamas-run police, and another man, according to the hospital, The AP reported.

Palestinians reported more airstrikes and heavy fighting in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli troops for months and where the World Food Program says a famine is underway.

The Civil Defense said strikes hit several homes near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, killing at least 10 people. And in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp nearby, residents reported a heavy wave of artillery and airstrikes.

Abdel-Kareem Radwan, 48, said the whole eastern side has become a battle zone where the Israeli fighter jets “strike anything that moves."

Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for the Civil Defense, said rescuers had recovered at least 150 bodies, more than half of them women and children, since Israel launched the operation in Jabaliya last week.

The war on Gaza has killed at least 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Around 80% of the population of 2.3 million Palestinians have been displaced within the territory, often multiple times.

“We need a decent life to live," said Reem Al-Bayed, who left Gaza City and shelters with thousands in the gritty coastal Muwasi camp in the south without basic facilities like wells. "All countries live a decent life except us.”

She took a quick mouthful of bread before tearing the rest into pieces for half a dozen children, then poured them a can of beans.

Netanyahu faces pressure from Israel's closest ally, the United States, which has provided military aid and diplomatic cover for the offensive while expressing growing frustration with Israel's conduct of the war and the humanitarian crisis.

President Joe Biden's administration recently held up a shipment of 3,500 bombs and said the US would not provide offensive weapons for a full-scale invasion of Rafah, citing fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.

But last week, after Israel launched what it called a limited operation in Rafah, the Biden administration told legislators it would move forward with the sale of $1 billion worth of arms, according to congressional aides.

The Palestinian Crossings Authority in a statement said humanitarian aid has not entered through the vital Rafah border crossing with Egypt since the military operation began almost two weeks ago.

Arab World

Libya Begins Operating Pipeline from North Hamada Oilfield

A general view shows Libya's Sharara oilfield. (File photo: Reuters)
A general view shows Libya's Sharara oilfield. (File photo: Reuters)
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Libya Begins Operating Pipeline from North Hamada Oilfield

A general view shows Libya's Sharara oilfield. (File photo: Reuters)
A general view shows Libya's Sharara oilfield. (File photo: Reuters)

Libya has begun operating the new pipeline from its North Hamada oilfield with initial transfer capacity expected at 2,000 barrels per day (bpd), the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Sunday.

The North Hamada field, which is operated by Nafusah Oil Operations, is expected to increase transfer capacity through the line to 25,000 bpd before eventually reaching 10,000 bpd in September as part of the field's first development stage, NOC's statement said, Reuters reported.

The 50km pipeline to Mellitah port has design capacity of 70,000 bpd, NOC added.

Arab World

Hundreds Rally in Support of Tunisia President Amid Series of Arrests

Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government's swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 27, 2020. (Reuters)
Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government's swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 27, 2020. (Reuters)
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Hundreds Rally in Support of Tunisia President Amid Series of Arrests

Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government's swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 27, 2020. (Reuters)
Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government's swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 27, 2020. (Reuters)

Hundreds of people rallied Sunday in downtown Tunis in support of President Kais Saied amid the recent arrests of journalists, lawyers, and other public figures in Tunisia.

The rally came days after an international backlash over the flurry of arrests, which the UN and the EU said were unlawful.

President Saied on Thursday blasted the international criticism as foreign "interference" and ordered the Tunisian foreign ministry to summon the ambassadors of several countries.

"No to foreign interference, because we are a sovereign state," said Saber Rzigue, a protester on Sunday, AFP reported.

"We support the Tunisian leadership, particularly President Kais Saied."

"We are against foreign interference and against traitors, even if they are Tunisian," said Mohamed Hentati, another protester.

"Today, we want to contribute to history and stand against anyone who wants to occupy our country and try to change its social fabric," he added.

Sunday's rally also came after a significant protest and strike by lawyers earlier in the week over police raids and arrests in the national bar association.

The head of the bar, Hatem Meziou, called for an end to "the abuse of power" and for President Saied to intervene.

But Saied, who seized sweeping powers in 2021, replied on Thursday by saying the arresting of two lawyers was "in full respect for Tunisian law, which guarantees equality and the right to a fair trial".

Demonstrators on Sunday defended the president.

"Kais Saied is above all of us," said Mahmoud, a protester who chose not to give his full name.

"It is in him that we trust. He brought us security and peace."

Arab World

Jordan Demands Investigation of 'War Crimes' in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
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Jordan Demands Investigation of 'War Crimes' in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Sunday that the kingdom demanded an international investigation into what it said were many war crimes committed during Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

In remarks made during a press conference with the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Safadi said those responsible for documented crimes should be brought to justice.

An Israeli airstrike killed 20 people in central Gaza, mostly women and children, and fighting raged across the north on Sunday as Israel's leaders aired divisions over who should govern Gaza after the war, now in its eighth month.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced criticism from his own War Cabinet, with his main political rival, Benny Gantz, threatening to leave the government if a plan is not formulated by June 8 that includes an international administration for postwar Gaza.

The war has killed at least 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Around 80% of the population of 2.3 million Palestinians have been displaced within the territory, often multiple times.

Arab World

Britain's Cameron: Violence in Darfur May be Crime Against Humanity

Internally displaced women wait in a queue to collect aid from a group at a camp in Gadaref on May 12, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Internally displaced women wait in a queue to collect aid from a group at a camp in Gadaref on May 12, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
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Britain's Cameron: Violence in Darfur May be Crime Against Humanity

Internally displaced women wait in a queue to collect aid from a group at a camp in Gadaref on May 12, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Internally displaced women wait in a queue to collect aid from a group at a camp in Gadaref on May 12, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

British foreign minister David Cameron said on Sunday violence in the Darfur region of Sudan may be a crime against humanity.

"I am deeply concerned by highly credible reports that some of the violence in Darfur is ethnically motivated," Cameron said in a statement published on the government website.

"The ongoing pattern of violence in Darfur, including apparent systematic attacks against civilians, may amount to crimes against humanity."

The UN human rights chief said on Friday he was "horrified" by escalating violence near Sudan's al-Fashir and held discussions with commanders from both sides of the conflict, warning of a humanitarian disaster if the city is attacked.

Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in al-Fashir without basic supplies amid fears that nearby fighting will turn into an all-out battle for the city, the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the western Darfur region.

Its capture would be a major boost for the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as regional and international powers try to push the sides to negotiate an end to a 13-month war.

Arab World

Israel Launches Strikes Across Gaza

Mourners grieve during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Mourners grieve during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
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Israel Launches Strikes Across Gaza

Mourners grieve during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Mourners grieve during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight, residents said.

Israel has been pushing into the southern city of Rafah that it says is the last bastion of Hamas forces. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled the area that was one of their few remaining places of refuge.

Israeli forces also pushed deeper into the narrow alleyways of Jabalia in northern Gaza, returning to an area that they said they had cleared earlier in the conflict, residents said.

The Gaza Civil Emergency Service said in a statement rescue teams have so far recovered the bodies of 150 Palestinians killed by the army in recent days, while their count showed that 300 houses had been struck by Israeli aerial and ground fire.

At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, according to the enclave's health ministry. Aid agencies have warned of widespread hunger and shortages of fuel and medical supplies.

Arab World

Hamdok, Abdul Wahid Nur Sign Declaration Urging Sudan War Halt

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur of the Sudan Liberation Movement in Paris (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur of the Sudan Liberation Movement in Paris (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Hamdok, Abdul Wahid Nur Sign Declaration Urging Sudan War Halt

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur of the Sudan Liberation Movement in Paris (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur of the Sudan Liberation Movement in Paris (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, leading the “Tagaddum” anti-war civilian coalition, and Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur of the Sudan Liberation Movement joined forces in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to sign a political agreement.

This deal aims to end the conflict and establish civilian rule in Sudan. Both leaders pledge to work together to tackle Sudan’s challenges and find lasting solutions.

Both parties urged an immediate ceasefire to pave the way for ending the war, with support from international and regional efforts, including the Jeddah platform.

The Nairobi declaration called on the warring factions to abide by international humanitarian law by removing obstacles to aid delivery and ensuring access for all citizens in conflict zones.

It also stressed the importance of protecting humanitarian workers from international and local organizations.

Tagaddum and the Sudan Liberation Movement have agreed to establish a security and military system meeting international standards.

This system aims to create a unified national army dedicated to safeguarding national security under a new military doctrine aligned with the constitution.

The agreement also calls for a federal democratic civilian government in Sudan, ensuring equal participation for all Sudanese in power and resources.

The Nairobi declaration stressed the need for an inclusive discussion involving all national stakeholders supporting these principles.

Both sides called on international and regional actors to pressure the warring factions and step up efforts for an immediate end to the war.

Arab World

Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in South Gaza

Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 19, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 19, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
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Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in South Gaza

Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 19, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 19, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a battle in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the military said on Sunday.

Israel's military has been focusing its offensive in the southern part of Gaza where it says the remaining Hamas brigades are holed up.

Arab World

UNSMIL Calls for Locating Kidnapped Libyan Parliament Member

Libyan members of the parliament meet during a session. Reuters file photo
Libyan members of the parliament meet during a session. Reuters file photo
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UNSMIL Calls for Locating Kidnapped Libyan Parliament Member

Libyan members of the parliament meet during a session. Reuters file photo
Libyan members of the parliament meet during a session. Reuters file photo

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has called upon the competent authorities to locate and secure the prompt release of Ibrahim Aldrasi, a member of parliament, who has gone missing.

The House of Representatives (HoR) member for Benghazi is missing after a robbery at his home, the media manager of the ministry said in a statement on Friday evening.

On Saturday, UNSMIL expressed “deep concern” about the abduction and called upon “the competent authorities to locate and secure his prompt release.”

The Mission also urged the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Aldrasi’s disappearance and to hold those accountable under the law.

It condemned all forms of arbitrary detention throughout Libya. “Such acts undermine the rule of law and create a climate of fear,” it said on X.

The Mission also reminded the authorities of their obligation to respect fundamental freedoms and uphold human rights and the rule of law.

Arab World

Tunisia Recovers Bodies of 4 Migrants Off its Coast, Rescues Dozens

Activists demonstrate outside the delegation of the European Union to Tunisia against migrant deals with EU, in the capital Tunis, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)
Activists demonstrate outside the delegation of the European Union to Tunisia against migrant deals with EU, in the capital Tunis, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)
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Tunisia Recovers Bodies of 4 Migrants Off its Coast, Rescues Dozens

Activists demonstrate outside the delegation of the European Union to Tunisia against migrant deals with EU, in the capital Tunis, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)
Activists demonstrate outside the delegation of the European Union to Tunisia against migrant deals with EU, in the capital Tunis, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)

Tunisia recovered the bodies of four migrants off the country's coast on Saturday, the national guard said, amid an increase in migrant boats heading from Tunisia toward Italy in recent weeks.
According to Reuters, the force said the coast guard separately rescued 52 migrants. The national guard arrested nine smugglers, and boats were seized.
At least 23 Tunisian migrants were missing after setting off in a boat for Italy, the national guard said earlier on Saturday.
Tunisia is facing a migration crisis and has replaced Libya as the main departure point for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East in the hope of a better life in Europe.