Houthi Explosives, Attacks Squander Griffiths’ Peace Efforts

United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths speaks during an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Tarek Fahmy/File Photo
United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths speaks during an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Tarek Fahmy/File Photo
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Houthi Explosives, Attacks Squander Griffiths’ Peace Efforts

United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths speaks during an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Tarek Fahmy/File Photo
United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths speaks during an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Tarek Fahmy/File Photo

At a time when the UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths is discussing details of the entry of fuel and oil byproducts to Yemen through the port of Hodeidah, Houthis sent out an explosive boat into Red Sea waters, threatening international trade and navigation.

Despite almost two years passing since the Yemeni government and Houthis signed the UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, many of its stipulations remain unmet.

The deal involves the Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Salif ports, includes a prisoner swap mechanism and covers an understanding about Taiz governorate.

Houthi militias have locked their control of Hodeidah city and its port for over five years now, and also have blocked UN experts from inspecting the rundown Safer oil tanker which is anchored off Ras Issa port.

Any explosion at Safer, which is carrying around 1.1 million barrels of oil, will cause a catastrophic oil spill with irreversible environmental damage.

The official Yemeni news agency, Saba, said Parliament Speaker Sultan al-Burkani informed Griffiths that the government has grown impatient towards the Houthi militia’s persistent breach of the Stockholm Agreement and their escalated attacks on various fronts.

Burkani also told Griffiths that the government is considering to “freeze the Stockholm Agreement and possibly cancel it completely.”

The Saudi-led Arab Coalition, allied with Yemen's government, said Monday it foiled two attacks launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, including an explosives-laden boat dispatched into the Red Sea near international shipping lanes.

Arab Coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki said in a statement that the remotely controlled boat was spotted late Sunday.

Malki described the attempted boat attack as a “terrorist attack” that threatens commercial shipping routes in the vital Bab al-Mandeb strait, used for oil shipments from the Gulf to Europe, as well as goods from Asia to Europe.

He also confirmed that Houthis have taken Hodeidah as a launchpad for their ballistic missiles, drones and explosive boats.



Biden: Joseph Aoun is ‘First-Rate Guy’

FILE - President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool, File)
FILE - President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool, File)
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Biden: Joseph Aoun is ‘First-Rate Guy’

FILE - President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool, File)
FILE - President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool, File)

US President Joe Biden welcomed the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon's president on Thursday, saying in a statement that the army chief was the “right leader” for the country.

“President Aoun has my confidence. I believe strongly he is the right leader for this time,” said Biden, adding that Aoun would provide “critical leadership” in overseeing an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.

Aoun's election by Lebanese lawmakers ended a more than two-year vacancy and could mark a step towards lifting the country out of financial meltdown.

“We finally have a president,” Biden said later, at the end of a meeting on the response to major wildfires in the US city of Los Angeles.

He said he had spoken to Aoun by phone on Thursday for “20 minutes to half an hour,” describing the Lebanese leader as a “first-rate guy.”

Biden pledged to continue US support for Lebanon’s security forces, and for Lebanon’s recovery and reconstruction, the White House said in a readout of Biden’s call with Aoun.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Aoun's election “a moment of historic opportunity,” which offered Lebanon a chance to “establish durable peace and stability.”

Aoun, who turned 61 on Friday, faces the difficult task of overseeing the fragile ceasefire with Israel in south Lebanon.

Separately, Biden spoke about the hostage talks between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“We’re making some real progress,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that he had spoken with US negotiators earlier Thursday.

“I know hope springs eternal, but I’m still hopeful that we’ll be able to have a prisoner exchange.”

Biden added: “Hamas is the one getting in the way of that exchange right now, but I think we may be able to get that done. We need to get it done.”