Deputy head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Aidarous al-Zubaidi and Defense Minister Mohsen al-Daeri visited the Bab al-Mandab district and Mayyun island in the Red Sea.
The significant development took place as the United States on Tuesday launched a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea as attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militias forced major shipping companies to reroute, fueling concern over sustained disruptions to global trade.
Zubaidi met with commanders of the Arab coalition forces on Mayyun, hailing the major role the alliance has played in securing the region and supporting efforts to restore normal life there, reported the state news agency Saba.
He toured several vital projects underway on the island, including the construction of Mayyun airport, a desalination plant and residential unit that is being built with the support of the United Arab Emirates.
Zubaidi’s press secretary Ali al-Hadyani told Asharq Al-Awsat that the visit to Bab al-Mandab and Mayyun aims to deliver two messages.
"The first is that this vital region, which is located on one of the world’s most important marine shipping and trade routes, is a sovereign part of the nation and we will protect and defend it with all our might," he declared.
"We will not let it slip through our fingers no matter the challenges and hardships," he added, vowing to confront the dangers threatening these regions.
The second message is that the visit by the PLC deputy leader sends a signal that "we are part of the regional and international communities," he went on to say.
"Our presence here is a sign that we are part of Arab national security. Bab al-Mandab and its islands are an integral part of Arab national security. We will cooperate with our brothers in the Arab coalition to protect these regions and deter any threats," he vowed.
"We will always be part of the Arab fold ... and we will be prepared to be part of any coalition that will be formed to protect this vital waterway," he stated.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who was on a trip to Bahrain, said Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain were among nations involved in the Red Sea security operation.
The group, widely dubbed in media reports a "task force," will conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the adjacent Gulf of Aden.
"This is an international challenge that demands collective action," Austin said in a statement, announcing the initiative as "Operation Prosperity Guardian." He called on other countries to contribute as he condemned "reckless Houthi actions".
The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, which creates the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. About 12% of world shipping traffic transits the canal.
