Yemen Demands Extension of Arms Embargo against Iran

Houthis ride on the back of a police patrol truck after participating in a gathering in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb.19, 2020. (Reuters)
Houthis ride on the back of a police patrol truck after participating in a gathering in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb.19, 2020. (Reuters)
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Yemen Demands Extension of Arms Embargo against Iran

Houthis ride on the back of a police patrol truck after participating in a gathering in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb.19, 2020. (Reuters)
Houthis ride on the back of a police patrol truck after participating in a gathering in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb.19, 2020. (Reuters)

The legitimate Yemeni government urged on Saturday the need to extend the arms embargo against Tehran after busting a Houthi cell that confessed to smuggling weapons from Iran.

In a series of tweets, Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the cell admitted to receiving training in Iran and to having connections to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.

“This is damning evidence of Iranian complicity in running smuggling operations and supporting the militias with weapons (ballistic missiles and drones) to implement their destructive agenda in the region,” he said.

The confessions confirm that the Houthis were exploiting the Stockholm agreement on Hodeidah in order to use the coastal city’s ports “to smuggle Iranian weapons, escalate their terrorist military operations in Yemen and target civilians in Saudi Arabia and oil and trade ships in the Red Sea, he continued.

Moreover, the minister said the Iranian regime’s ongoing smuggling of arms to the Houthis was a flagrant violation of relevant international resolutions on Yemen.



Israeli Military Recovers Body of a Hostage in Gaza, Is Examining Identity of a Second Body

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
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Israeli Military Recovers Body of a Hostage in Gaza, Is Examining Identity of a Second Body

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)

The Israeli military said Wednesday that troops have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza and were examining whether another body recovered was also that of a captive.

Earlier, Israel's defense minister said that troops recovered the bodies of two hostages.

The military said the body of Yosef Al Zaydani was brought to Israel on Tuesday after being discovered in an underground tunnel near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It said troops uncovered information about Al Zaydani's son Hamzah that "raised serious concerns for his life."

Military spokesman Col. Nadav Shoshani said the military was looking into the identity of a second set of remains recovered.

Al Zaydani and his son were taken captive during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, among 250 hostages snatched by the group during its cross-border raid.

Israel believes a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead.

The body's recovery comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.

However, Yosef and Hamzah Al Zaydani were believed to still be alive and their return could ramp up the pressure on Israel to move ahead on a deal.

Yosef Al Zaydani's name was on a list of 34 hostages shared by a Hamas official with The Associated Press that the group said were slated for release.

Many families of hostages say the continuation of the war in Gaza puts the lives of the remaining hostages at risk. They have demanded throughout the conflict that Israel reaches a deal with Hamas to free their loved ones.