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The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. The large numbers mean Filipinos are disproportionately exposed to the dangers posed by Houthis targeting ships in the Red Sea. Two Filipino crew members remain in Djibouti to receive medical treatment. Most of the Filipino crew members on board returned to Manila on Tuesday, reuniting with their families after their ordeal at sea. It’s very painful for us, especially for the families,” Mark Dagohoy, one of the ship’s crew members, told journalists after their return.

Persons: It’s, “ There’s, ”, Eduardo de Vega, Israel, Houthis, “, Al, ” Houthi, Nasr Al, Din Amer, De Vega, de Vega, They’re, Mohammed Al, it’s, Ray Car, Abraham Ungar, Eloisa Lopez, Houthi, Yahya Sarea, ” Mark Dagohoy, Celine Alkhaldi, Paul P, Murphy Organizations: CNN, Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military Media, Reuters, Philippines, Yemeni, Nippon, Ray, Ray Car Carriers, Ambrey Analytics, Ambrey, Indian Navy, Manila International Airport, “, Liberian, Financial Times, Oaktree Locations: Filipino, Gaza, Red, Romanian, Iran, Yemen, Cairo, Philippines, Aden, Saudi, Hodeidah, Suez, Africa, Bab, Mandab, United States, Britain, Djibouti, Manila

☆ US-British Forces Strike Houthi Targets in Yemen, Houthi Outlet Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Mohammed GhobariADEN, Yemen (Reuters) -Yemen's port city of Hodeidah and other western coastal areas were hit on Monday by at least 17 airstrikes attributed to a U.S.-British coalition defending ships in the Red Sea, according to Al Masirah, the main Houthi-run television news outlet. The strikes follow the first civilian fatalities and vessel loss since the Iran-aligned Houthis began attacking commercial shipping in November. They also coincide with the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting for Muslims. The Houthis killed three crew of the Barbados-flagged, Greek-operated True Confidence on Wednesday in an attack off the port of Aden. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Aden, Adam Makary in Cairo; writing by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sephen Coates)

Persons: Mohammed Ghobari ADEN, Al Masirah, Houthis, Ras Issa, Mohammed Ghobari, Adam Makary, Lisa Baertlein, Kevin Liffey, Sephen Coates Organizations: British, U.S ., Hamas Locations: Yemen, Hodeidah, U.S, Red, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Ras, Barbados, Aden, Africa's, Suez, Cairo, Los Angeles

☆ US, UK, French military shoot down Houthi drones after attack on bulk carrier, destroyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The container ship, Safeen Pride, with a destination of 'HODEIDAH (ARMED GUARDS)' seen at sea on January 17, 2024 in Djibouti, Djibouti. U.S., French and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area overnight and on Saturday after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and U.S. destroyers in the region, the U.S. military said in a statement. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the U.S. military and coalition forces had downed at least 28 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea in the early hours of Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, CENTCOM said the military was responding to a large-scale attack on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. (0100-0330 GMT). The UAVs were intended to present "an imminent threat to merchant vessels, U.S. Navy, and coalition ships in the region", it said in a post on social media platform X.

Persons: Yahya Sarea, CENTCOM Organizations: U.S, . Central Command, U.S ., Coalition Navy, U.S . Navy Locations: Djibouti, Djibouti . U.S, British, Red, Iran, Gulf of Aden, Gaza, Gulf, Aden, U.S

☆ US drone that crashed in Yemen appears to have been shot down by Houthi missile, official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Initial indications are that a US MQ-9 Reaper drone that crashed near Hodeidah in Yemen early Monday morning was shot down by a Houthi surface-to-air missile, a US official said Tuesday. Previously, officials said it was unclear if the drone had been shot down or simply crashed. The Houthis also shot down a MQ-9 — which is an unmanned drone typically used for intelligence collection — in November off the coast of Yemen. The US-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Navis Fortuna, a bulk carrier, was struck Monday evening by a one-way attack drone, which resulted in minor damage but no injuries. At 8:15 p.m. Monday evening, the US destroyed a one-way attack drone in western Yemen preparing to launch against ships in the Red Sea.

Persons: Navis, Fortuna, Matthew Miller, ”, ” Miller, CENTCOM Organizations: CNN, Marshall, US, US Navy Locations: Hodeidah, Yemen, Iran, US, Gulf, Aden, Marshall Islands, British, ”, Belize, Red, Gulf of Aden, Israel, Gaza

☆ Houthis claim 'catastrophic' attack in Red Sea that prompted crew to abandon ship
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Iran-backed Houthi militant group on Sunday damaged a ship offshore Yemen, prompting its crew to abandon the vessel in the latest escalation of maritime tensions that have disrupted key trade routes in the Red Sea. Houthi militants later claimed the attack, with spokesperson Yahya Sare'e identifying the vessel as general cargo ship Rubymar and describing it as British. "The ship suffered catastrophic damage and came to a complete halt," Houthi Spokesperson Sare'e said. The hostilities have also prompted armed exchanges between Houthis and British and American forces, which have previously struck at Yemeni targets in a bid to improve maritime security. Sare'e said that the Houthis on Sunday also shot down a U.S. drone in Hodeidah.

Persons: Yahya Sare'e, Sare'e, Ice Brent, Nymex WTI Organizations: Maritime Trade Operations, CNBC, Global, Djiboutian Navy, Hamas, Maersk, Ice, U.S . Central Command, U.S . Navy, Ambrey Analytics Locations: Iran, Yemen, Red, Belize, British, U.S, Saudi, Khair, Varna, Bulgaria, Gulf, Aden, London, Gaza, Danish, Good Hope, Houthis, ., Houthi, Greece, Yemen's

☆ Yemen's Houthis Vow Response After US, British Strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

The group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the U.S. strikes "will not pass without a response and consequences." HOUTHIS SAY WON'T BE DETERREDThe Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. The strategy blends limited military strikes and sanctions, and appears aimed at punishing the Houthis while attempting to limit the risk of a broad Middle East conflict. "We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities." The United States said Sunday's strikes had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON, Yahya Sarea, Mahjoob Zweiri, Joe Biden, Sarea, Grant Shapps, Sunday's, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud, Busaidi, Andrew Mills, Tom Perry, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Britain, Pentagon, Hamas, Residents, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gulf Studies, Qatar University, U.S, Republicans, Democrat, U.S . military's Central Command, British Defence, U.S . Central Command, Oman Foreign, Tala Locations: ADEN, United States, Yemen, Iran, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Houthi, U.S, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Britain, Africa, Egypt, Suez, Red, States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sanaa Governorate, Taiz Governorate, Hodeidah Governorate, Oman, Doha, Dubai

☆ Trafigura assesses Red Sea risks after tanker attacked by Houthis
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Commodities trader Trafigura said on Saturday it was assessing the security risks of further Red Sea voyages after firefighters put out a blaze on a tanker attacked by Yemen's Houthi group a day earlier. The Houthi attacks have primarily targeted container vessels moving through the Red Sea. A notable exception is QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which earlier this month stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea, citing security concerns. The Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda issued a distress call on Friday and reported damage, U.S. Central Command said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. About eight hours after the Marlin Luanda incident, the U.S. military destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch, Central Command said.

Persons: Trafigura, Yemen's, Trafigura's, Marlin, Carney, Ras Issa Organizations: Djibouti . Commodities, U.S . Navy, Marshall, U.S . Central Command, Indian Navy, British, Houthi, U.S, Central Command, Britain, U.S . Fifth Fleet, British Defence Ministry Locations: Djibouti, U.S, Trafigura, Aden, Gulf, Africa, Gaza, Visakhapatnam, Yemen, United States, Ras, Yemen's

☆ Iranian and Hezbollah commanders help direct Houthi attacks in Yemen, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Luke Dray | Getty ImagesCommanders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Lebanon's Hezbollah group are on the ground in Yemen helping to direct and oversee Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, four regional and two Iranian sources told Reuters. In his weekly news conferences, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani has repeatedly denied Tehran is involved in the Red Sea attacks by the Houthis. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam denied any Iranian or Hezbollah involvement in helping to direct the Red Sea attacks. The person said Iranian commanders had travelled to Yemen as well and set up a command centre in the capital Sanaa for the Red Sea attacks which is being run by the senior IRGC commander responsible for Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud | Getty ImagesAccording to two former Yemeni army sources, there is a clear presence of IRGC and Hezbollah members in Yemen.

Persons: Luke Dray, Washington, Nasser Kanaani, Houthi, Mohammed Abdulsalam, Saleh al, Samad, Mohammed Hamoud, Abdulaziz al, Sager, Adrienne Watson, Abdulghani, Abdulsalam, Bashar al, Assad, Ali Khamenei Organizations: Getty, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hezbollah, Reuters, Hamas, Foreign, Guards, Gulf Research, White House, U.S, Sana'a Center, Strategic Studies, Iranian Guards Locations: Djibouti, Yemen, Iran, Gaza, Israel, Tehran, Sana'a, Saudi, Asia, Europe, Gaza ., Lebanese, Iraq, Syria, Iranian, Bab, Sanaa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Washington, Gulf, Islam

☆ Biden designates Houthis terrorist group, as U.S. ramps up Red Sea counterstrikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"If the Houthis cease their attacks, we can consider delisting the designation," a senior administration official said Tuesday on a call with reporters. It is the next move in the U.S. pressure campaign to weaken the Houthis' Red Sea siege, which the official called "a textbook definition of terrorism." Three years later, after months of Red Sea attacks, the Houthis have regained their spot on a U.S. terrorist list. The latest Houthi terrorist label is "one piece of a broader effort" to stabilize global trade in the Red Sea and prevent regional war in the Middle East, the official added. Since the Houthis began their strikes shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October, major shipping giants like Maersk have paused Red Sea business activity due to safety concerns.

Persons: Saleh al, Samad, Abduljabbar Zeyad, Mohammed Hamoud, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Yemen's Huthi Organizations: Reuters, U.S . State Department, The State Department, United Nations, Yemen's Huthi Ansarullah Media, Afp, Getty Locations: Saudi, Hodeidah, Yemen, U.S, Sana'a, Israel, Gaza, Red

☆ US Says It Shot Down Anti-Ship Cruise Missile From Houthi-Controlled Areas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. fighter aircraft shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired from Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward a U.S. destroyer operating in the Southern Red Sea, the U.S. military said on Sunday. The midair interception is the latest incident in the Red Sea where the Houthis have been attacking international shipping in what they say is a campaign to support Palestinians under seige from Israeli forces in Gaza. It follows a series of American and British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen that have drawn threats of a "strong" response from the Iranian-backed militia. Earlier on Sunday, the Houthis complained that U.S. aircraft were observed flying close to Yemeni airspace and coastal areas. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam described the activity by "enemy" aircraft as a blatant violation of national sovereignty.

Persons: CENTCOM, Mohammed Abdulsalam, Natalia Olivia, Chandni Shah, Raphael Satter, Kim Coghill, Neil Fullick Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, British, U.S . Central Command, Reuters, Hamas Locations: Yemen, U.S, Gaza, Yemen's, Hodeidah, Yemeni, Israel, Tehran, Akrotiri, Cyprus, Palestine, Bengaluru

☆ US, Britain Carry Out Strikes Across Yemen in Retaliation for Houthi Attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

A U.S. official said more than a dozen locations were targeted in strikes that were not just symbolic but intended to weaken the Houthis' military capabilities. The United States and allies had deployed a naval task force to the area in December, and the situation had escalated in recent days. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is in hospital due to surgery complications, said in a statement that the strikes targeted Houthi drones, ballistic and cruise missiles, costal radar and air surveillance. The United States also accused Iran of being involved operationally in the Houthi attacks, providing the military capabilities and intelligence to carry them out. The United States has troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq, and has previously retaliated for attacks there by Iran-backed groups.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, Houthis, Sanaa, Ali Ahmad, Mahmoud, James Heappey, Brent, Lloyd Austin, Tesla, Andreas Krieg, Andrew Mills, Maher Hatem, Jeff Mason, Kanishka Singh, Eric Beech, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan Organizations: British, U.S, Hamas, U.S . Defense, Washington, King's College, United, West Bank Locations: ADEN, Yemen, Iran, Gaza, Sanaa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Hajjah governorate, United States, Israel, Europe, Asia, U.S, Britain, Africa, Germany, London . Saudi Arabia, U.N, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Washington, Doha, Dubai

☆ Two ships hit by drone attacks in Red Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Maritime security sources on Sunday said that a bulk carrier ship had been hit by at least two drones while sailing in the Red Sea. British maritime security company Ambrey said that another container ship had reportedly suffered damage from a drone attack about 63 miles northwest of the northern Yemeni port of Hodeidah. Reporting by Jonathan Saul Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ambrey, Jonathan Saul, David Goodman Organizations: Thomson Locations: CAIRO, Red, Hodeidah

☆ Red Sea attacks on ships spark safety concerns for sailors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jonathan Saul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. The International Chamber of Shipping association said the "attacks must stop immediately, and the innocent seafarers released". "In light of the threat to safe transit of global trade in the Arabian and Red Seas, ZIM is taking temporary proactive measures to ensure the safety of its crews, vessels, and customers' cargo by re-routing some of its vessels," ZIM said. U.S. maritime administration MARAD said in an advisory on Sunday that vessels faced multiple threats after the attacks. Insurance industry sources said they expected war risk premiums to rise in the area, especially for Israel-linked shipping.

Persons: Houthis, ZIM, MARAD, Jonathan Saul, Carolyn Cohn Organizations: Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military, REUTERS, Yemeni, Pentagon, Hamas, Chamber of Shipping, ICS, Insurance, Thomson Locations: Red, Yemen, Gulf, Aden, Somali, Israel, Palestinian, Hodeidah

A Houthi fighter holds up a pistol in the cargo area of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. Kirby's comment was significant because one of the Biden administration's first acts after taking office in January 2021 was revoking terrorist designations of the Houthis over fears the sanctions they carried could worsen Yemen's humanitarian crisis. Kirby called the Houthis' seizure of the vessel a "flagrant violation of international law" in which "Iran is complicit." "In light of this, we have begun a review of potential terrorist designations and we will be considering other options as well with our allies and partners as well," Kirby said at a White House press briefing. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Feb. 12, 2021, revoked the designations in "recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."

Persons: John Kirby, Biden, Houthis, Kirby, Trump, Antony Blinken, Jonathan Landay, Steve Holland, Grant McCool Organizations: Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military, REUTERS, Rights, White House, Japan's Nippon, Car Carriers, Ray Shipping, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Red, United States, Iran, Israel, Bahamas, Isle of, Tel Aviv, Yemen, Hodeidah, Islam, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, U.S

☆ Seized Galaxy Leader ship in Yemen's Hodeidah port area -owner
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Galaxy Leader commercial ship was "illegally boarded by military personnel via a helicopter" on Nov. 19 and is now in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen, the vessel’s owner said on Monday. "All communications were subsequently lost with the vessel," Isle of Man registered Galaxy Maritime Ltd, owner of the pure car carrier Galaxy Leader, said in a statement. "The Houthi seizure of the motor vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea is a flagrant violation of international law," U.S. State Department spokeman Matthew Miller told a briefing. The Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader's crew is made up of nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania, Galaxy Maritime said.

Persons: Houthis, Matthew Miller, Jonathan Saul, Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis, Christina Fincher, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military, REUTERS Acquire, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, Galaxy, U.S . State Department, Galaxy Maritime, Japan's Nippon, Maritime, Thomson Locations: Red, Yemen, Iran, States, U.S, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Philippines, Mexico, Romania, Washington

☆ Two ships divert course away from Red Sea area after vessel seized by Houthis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Jonathan Saul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. Israel on Sunday said the Houthis had seized a British-owned, Japanese-operated cargo ship in the southern Red Sea, describing the incident as an "Iranian act of terrorism" with consequences for international maritime security. The Houthis, an ally of Tehran, confirmed that they had seized a ship in that area but described it as Israeli. The Glovis Star drifted for a number of hours in the Red Sea before continuing its journey, AIS ship tracking data showed on Monday. Houthi leadership last week said their forces would make further attacks on Israel and they could target Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Persons: Yemen's Houthis, Ray Car, Ambrey, Hermes, Isaac Herzog, Jonathan Saul, Mark Porter, Christina Fincher Organizations: Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military, REUTERS Acquire, Sunday, Nippon, Galaxy, Ray, Ray Car Carriers, Glovis, Hermes, AIS, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, Thomson Locations: Red, Gulf, Aden, Israel, British, Tehran, Japan, Saudi, Omani, Nishtun, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Mandeb Strait . U.S, Hodeidah

"It's very disturbing," study co-author Matthew Huber of Purdue University in the U.S. state of Indiana told Reuters. It found that around 750 million people could experience one week per year of potentially deadly humid heat if temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. At 4C of warming, Hodeidah, Yemen, would see around 300 days per year of potentially unsurvivable humid heat. WET-BULB THRESHOLDTo track such moist heat, scientists use a measurement known as "wet-bulb" temperature. Beyond this, people were likely to succumb to heat stress if they could not find a way to cool down.

Persons: Nico, Adrees Latif, Matthew Huber, Huber, George Mason, George Mason University climatologist Daniel Vecellio, Vecellio, Jane Baldwin of, Gloria Dickie, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Emergency Aid Coalition, REUTERS, U.S . Midwest, Purdue University, Reuters, George, George Mason University, National Academy of Sciences, Jane Baldwin of University of California Irvine, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, Delhi, Shanghai, U.S ., Indiana, India, Pakistan, Lagos, Nigeria, Chicago , Illinois, South America, Australia, Hodeidah, Yemen, London

The team is pumping between 4,000 and 5,000 barrels of oil every hour, and has so far transferred more than 120,000 barrels to the replacement vessel carrying the offloaded oil, Gressly said. A potential spill from this vessel would be enough to make it the fifth largest oil spill from a tanker in history, a UN website said. The Red Sea is a vital strategic waterway for global trade. Video Ad Feedback Oil being removed from tanker near Yemen in Red Sea 02:29 - Source: CNNAfter The Safer is emptied, it must then be cleaned to ensure no oil residue is left, Gressly said. The Red Sea fisheries in Yemen could be “almost completely wiped out,” Rehkopf added.

Persons: CNN —, –, Yemen David Gressly, SMIT, Gressly, Bab, ” Gressly, “, ” David Rehkopf, ” Rehkopf, that’s, ”, Ahmed Nagi, ” Nagi, Nagi Organizations: CNN, United, Endeavor, UN, Yemen’s, HSA, FSO, Exxon, US Energy Information Administration, Systems, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Group Locations: Yemen, United Nations, Suez, Red, Alaska, Africa, Asia, Persian, Saudi, Stanford University School of Medicine . Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Brussels, Yemeni, Hodeidah

☆ UN could start removing oil this week from decaying Yemen tanker
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The Nautica, a replacement oil tanker for the decaying FSO Safer, arrives in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Adel al-KhadherUNITED NATIONS, July 18 (Reuters) - An operation to start removing some 1.1 million barrels of oil from a decaying tanker moored off Yemen's coast could start by the end of the week, the United Nations said on Tuesday. U.N. officials have been warning for years that the Red Sea and Yemen's coastline were at risk as the tanker Safer could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska. Another vessel is already alongside the Safer to help with the transfer of oil. Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Iran-aligned Houthi group ousted the government from the capital Sanaa in late 2014.

Persons: U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Michelle Nichols Organizations: REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Red, Hodeidah, Yemen, Adel, Alaska, U.N, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Tehran

☆ Factbox: Stampede highlights Yemen's dire humanitarian crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Houthis have faced criticism from humanitarian organisations for impeding aid movement, which has also led to concern from donor states. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCEIn 2023, some 21 million people, or two thirds of Yemen's population, will need humanitarian aid and protection, according to the United Nations. The U.N. humanitarian plan requires $4.3 billion this year to reach the 17 million most vulnerable people. ECONOMYThe conflict has destroyed Yemen's economy and the national poverty rate was estimated at about 80% in 2022, according to the United Nations. Acute food insecurity in Yemen is driven by rising food prices and dwindling livelihoods and economic opportunities.

☆ Yemen's slide into political crisis and war
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

* 1994: Civil war in which Saleh prevents south, angered by what it sees as its lower status, from splitting with north. The Houthis seize the capital Sanaa in September 2014 with help from Saleh and demand a share of power. * 2015: Hadi tries to announce a new federal constitution opposed by the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saleh, who arrest him. He escapes, pursued by the Houthis, triggering Saudi intervention in March at the head of a military coalition. The coalition drives the Houthis and Saleh loyalists from Aden in south Yemen and from Marib, northeast of Sanaa.

[1/2] A military helicopter, operated by the Houthis, flies over Sanaa, Yemen September 21, 2022 for the first time since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen and controlled the country's airspace in 2015. The move signals that regional rifts are easing after rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to restore relations last month following years of hostility and backing opposite sides in Middle Eastern conflicts, including Yemen. Oman, which shares borders with Yemen, has been trying for years to bridge differences between Yemen's warring parties, and more broadly between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the United States. Saudi Arabia restarted its direct talks with the Houthi group last summer after both sides failed to renew a United Nations-brokered truce deal. Following years of a bitter rivalry and armed conflicts between Saudi Arabia and Iran, their biggest trade partner China recently stepped in to work with both sides and improve relations.

ADEN, April 7 (Reuters) - A Saudi Arabian-led military coalition lifted eight-year-old restrictions on imports headed for Yemen's southern ports, the internationally recognised authorities said, in a sign that peace talks are progressing with the Houthi group in the north. This follows the easing of restrictions in February on commercial goods entering the Houthi-held western port of Hodeidah, the country's main seaport, as Yemen's warring sides work to reinstate an expired U.N.-brokered truce deal. The Saudi-backed government based in the south said in a statement late on Thursday that commercial ships would be allowed to dock directly in southern ports, including Aden, and all goods would be cleared, with some exceptions. The Saudi-led coalition had since 2015 imposed severe restrictions on flow of goods into import-reliant Yemen, where war has devastated the economy, contributing to what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Abeed said more than 500 types of goods would be allowed back in Yemen through southern ports, including fertilisers and batteries, after they were removed from a list of banned products.

☆ China brokering a deal between the Saudis and Iran is a message for the US: Change your strategy or get left behind
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Hassan El-Tayyab | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they had normalized relations in a deal brokered by China. Hassan El-Tayyab is legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. By mediating the Saudi-Iran deal, China has demonstrated its ability to play a constructive role in resolving conflicts impartially, rather than relying on arms sales to keep nations in America's corner in geopolitical disputes. There have been some positive signs for diplomacy in Yemen since the Saudi-Iran deal was announced. Hassan El-Tayyab is the legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

HODEIDAH, Yemen, Feb 26 (Reuters) - A container ship carrying general commercial goods docked at Yemen's main port of Hodeidah for the first time since at least 2016 on Saturday as parties in Yemen's eight-year war are in talks to reinstate an expired U.N.-brokered truce deal. Goods arriving at Hodeidah have to be vetted by a U.N. body established to prevent arms shipments from entering Yemen. In the past seven years, Djibouti-based UNVIM has given approval only to ships carrying specific goods like foodstuffs, fuel and cooking oil. Port officials said the SHEBELLE, which according to ship tracking data is an Ethiopian-flagged general cargo ship, was given clearance by United Nations inspection body, the Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM). [1/2] Commercial ships are docked at the Houthi-held Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 25, 2023.

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