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Egypt's President Praises Gulf Support

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the "Differently Abled" event in New Cairo (Egyptian presidential website)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the "Differently Abled" event in New Cairo (Egyptian presidential website)
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Egypt's President Praises Gulf Support

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the "Differently Abled" event in New Cairo (Egyptian presidential website)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the "Differently Abled" event in New Cairo (Egyptian presidential website)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi thanked the UAE and its President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, for the vast Emirati investment deal as part of the Ras el-Hekma project.
On Friday, Egypt signed an investment partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates to develop the Ras al-Hikma peninsula west of Alexandria, with investments worth $150 billion. It includes pumping about $35 billion in direct foreign investment into the Egyptian treasury within two months.
"I want to thank our brothers in the UAE, led by my brother, his Excellency the President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed," Sisi said while attending a "Differently Abled" event in New Cairo.
"I want to tell you it is not easy for anyone to deposit $35 billion over two months; there is nothing like that in the world ... This is a form of support and standing (with us), clearly," Sisi added.
He pointed out that every measure, problem, or crisis that occurs anywhere in the world has an impact on Egypt, referring to the COVID-19 crisis, which was followed by the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and then the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip.
Egypt is struggling to provide the foreign currency necessary to import goods and has to meet the deadlines for foreign debt maturities and a budget deficit.
Sisi announced that the Central Bank received the first tranche of UAE's multi billion-US dollar investment on Tuesday, and the second tranche will arrive on Friday.
According to the Egyptian Official Gazette, Sisi issued a presidential decree allocating a plot of state-owned land with an area of 170.8 million square meters in the Matrouh governorate to develop Ras el-Hekma city.
Egypt hopes this project will become "the largest tourism project on the Mediterranean."
- Difficult challenges
The Egyptian President stated that the world and region face numerous challenges and crises, necessitating unity, resilience, and action.
"We have chosen the path of patience, sacrifice, and confidence in our abilities, inspired by the determination and success of our people, especially our children."
- Egypt did not close Rafah crossing
Sisi asserted that his country has always kept the Rafah border crossing with Gaza open.
"Egypt has never closed the crossing, but to be able to act in a fighting situation, we have to be cautious not to cause a problem," he said.
"From the first day, we have been very keen that the Rafah crossing becomes an avenue to deliver aid."

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Yemen's Houthis Allege US Airstrike Hit a Prison Holding African Migrants

Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
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Yemen's Houthis Allege US Airstrike Hit a Prison Holding African Migrants

Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH
Yemeni soldiers walk amid the rubble as they inspect a damaged area after US airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in Sana'a, Yemen, 27 April 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARH

Yemen’s Houthi militant group on Monday alleged a US airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing and wounding some of the 100 inmates held there. The US military had no immediate comment.

The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a stronghold for the Houthis, is the latest incident in the country's decadelong war.

It also likely will renew questions from activists about the American campaign, known as “Operation Rough Rider,” which has been targeting the group as the Trump administration negotiates with their main benefactor, Iran, over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

The US military's Central Command in a statement early Monday before news of the alleged strike broke sought to defend its policy of offering no specific details of its extensive airstrike campaign.

“To preserve operational security, we have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations,” Central Command said. “We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do.”

It did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press about the alleged strike in Saada.

Graphic footage shows aftermath of explosion

Graphic footage aired by the Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel showed what appeared to be dead bodies and others wounded at the site. An al-Masirah correspondent said some 100 migrants had been detained at the site.

Casualty figures weren’t immediately clear. However, footage from the site analyzed by the AP suggested some kind of explosion took place there, with its cement walls seemingly peppered by debris fragments and the wounds suffered by those there.

A woman's voice, soft in the footage, can be heard repeating the start of a prayer in Arabic: “In the name of God.” An occasional gunshot rang out as medics sought to help those wounded.

US military says over 800 strikes conducted in campaign so far

Meanwhile, US airstrikes overnight targeting Yemen's capital killed at least eight people, the Houthis said. The American military acknowledged carrying out over 800 individual strikes in their monthlong campaign.

The overnight statement from the US military's Central Command also said its “Operation Roughrider” targeting the Houthis had “killed hundreds of fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” including those associated with its missile and drone program. It did not identify any of those officials.

“Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis,” the statement said. “The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime.”

"We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region," it added.

The US is targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel. The Houthis also are the last militant group in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” that is capable of regularly attacking Israel.