U.S Senate Resolution on Yemen War

By Jeff Bachman

A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

Guterres put the crisis in stark perspective, emphasizing the near complete lack of security for the Yemeni people. More than 22 million people out of a total population of 28 million are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. Eighteen million people lack reliable access to food; 8.4 million people “do not know how they will obtain their next meal.”

As a scholar of genocide and human rights, I believe the destruction brought about by these attacks combined with the blockade amounts to genocide.

Based on my research, to be published in an upcoming issue of Third World Quarterly, I believe the coalition would not be capable of committing this crime without the material and logistical support of both the Obama and Trump administrations.

A ‘storm’ recast as ‘hope’

Yemen has been gripped by a civil war since 2015, pitting the Shia Houthi movement – which has fought for centuries for control of parts of Yemen – against a government backed by Sunni Saudi Arabia. Because of these religious differences, it would be easy to recast what is largely a political conflict in Yemen as a sectarian one.

That characterisation fits Saudi and US&nbsp;assertions that the Houthis are controlled by Shiite Iran, a claim that has not gone uncontested. Both the Saudis and the US&nbsp;are hostile to Iran, so US&nbsp;support of Saudia Arabia in Yemen represents what US&nbsp;administrations have said are strategic interests in the region.

Besides Saudi Arabia, the coalition attacking Yemen includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Qatar was part of the coalition but is no longer.

During the first three years of “Operation Decisive Storm,” later renamed “Operation Renewal of Hope,” 16,749 coalition air attacks in Yemen were documented by the Yemen Data Project (YDP), which describes itself as an “independent data collection project aimed at collecting and disseminating data on the conduct of the war in Yemen.”

Based on the information available to it using open sources, YDP reports that two-thirds of the coalition’s bombing attacks have been against non-military and unknown targets. The coalition isn’t accidentally attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure – it’s doing it deliberately.

That’s evident from the kind – and volume – of civilian targets documented. They include places that are generally protected against attack even under the lax rules of international humanitarian law: Residential areas, vehicles, marketplaces and mosques as well as boats, social gatherings and camps for internally displaced persons.

Because of the role&nbsp;it plays in the movement of people, food and medicine, Yemen’s transportation infrastructure is especially important. Airports, ports, bridges and roads have all been repeatedly attacked.

Yemen’s economic infrastructure – farms, private businesses and factories, oil and gas facilities, water and electricity lines and food storage – have also been hit. And the coalition has targeted and destroyed schools and medical facilities, too.

Finally, Yemen’s cultural heritage has been attacked. In all, at least 78 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed, including archaeological sites, museums, mosques, churches and tombs, as well as numerous other monuments and residences that have great historical and cultural significance.

How to make a crisis

The attacks aren’t the only way the coalition is creating a massive humanitarian crisis.

The air and naval blockade, in effect since March 2015, “is essentially using the threat of starvation as a bargaining tool and an instrument of war,” according to the UN panel of experts on Yemen.

The blockade stops and inspects vessels seeking entry to Yemen’s ports. That allows the coalition to regulate and restrict Yemenis’ access to food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid.

In his analysis of the blockade’s legality, Dutch military scholar Martin Fink writes that the blockade means “massive time delays and uncertainty on what products would be allowed to enter.”

Despite UN efforts to alleviate some of the worst delays, imports are often held up for a long time. In some cases, food that makes it through the blockade has already spoiled, if the entry is not denied altogether.

In some ways, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is unprecedented and can be tied directly to the conflict. As the World Bank notes, “Yemen’s very difficult economic challenges before the current conflict cannot be compared to the intensely critical situation the country is facing today.”

Similarly, Tufts University scholar Alex de Waal describes Yemen as “the greatest famine atrocity of our lifetimes.” It was caused, writes de Waal, by the coalition “deliberately destroying the country’s food-producing infrastructure.”

The failing security for the people of Yemen has been compounded by a failing health system. The World Health Organisation reported in September 2017 that only 45 per cent of health facilities in Yemen were functional.

As Secretary-General Guterres put it, “Treatable illnesses become a death sentence when local health services are suspended and it is impossible to travel outside the country.”

As of February 2018, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the coalition had killed 6,000 people in airstrikes and wounded nearly 10,000 more.

Yet, according to the OHCHR report, these counts are conservative. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have also died from causes related to the war. According to Save the Children, an estimated 85,000 children under five may have died since 2015, with more than 50,000 child deaths in 2017 alone from hunger and related causes.

Coalition actions in Yemen amount to nothing short of what Raphael Lemkin, the individual who coined the term “genocide,” referred to as a “synchronized attack on different aspects of life.”

The US contribution 
 
The coalition’s genocide in Yemen would not be possible without the complicity of the US. This has been a bipartisan presidential effort, covering both the Obama and Trump administrations.

US arms are being used to kill Yemenis and destroy their country. In 2016, well after the coalition began its genocidal assault on Yemen, four of the top five recipients of US arms sales were members of the coalition.

The US has also provided the coalition with logistical support, including mid-air refuelling, targeting advice and support, intelligence, expedited munitions resupply and maintenance.

Other than the sale of arms, perhaps the most significant contribution to the coalition’s ability to commit genocide in Yemen has been the provision of fuel and mid-air refuelling of coalition warplanes, which was halted in early November 2018. By the middle of 2017, the US had delivered over 67 million pounds of fuel to the coalition and refuelled coalition aircraft more than 9,000 times.

Shared responsibility for genocide

As a genocide scholar, I believe that under international law, the US shares responsibility with the coalition for genocide in Yemen.

What does this mean? It means that the US&nbsp;must cease and desist all activities that facilitate genocide in Yemen. This would include stopping all sales of weapons and ending logistical support for coalition action.

In an ideal world, one in which all states are equally subjects before international law, the US would also seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding what restitution it owes the people of Yemen for its role in the coalition’s genocide.

Similarly, the US would request an International Criminal Court investigation into individual culpability of US officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations for their role in facilitating the crimes committed in Yemen.

Of course, this is not an ideal world.

The US&nbsp;recognises neither the International Court of Justice’s authority to judge the legality of its actions, nor the International Criminal Court’s authority to investigate the suspected criminal acts of individual US officials. Such an investigation could be triggered by a UN&nbsp;Security Council referral, but the US would simply veto any such effort.

All that is left, then, is for the people of the US to hold their own to account for the crimes committed in their names. 
 
(Jeff Bachman is Professorial Lecturer in Human Rights, American University School of International Service)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/us-complicity-in-the-saudi-led-genocide-in-yemen-spans-obama-trump-administrations-106896">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

By Jeff Bachman A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

By Jeff Bachman A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Guterres put the crisis in stark perspective, emphasizing the near complete lack of security for the Yemeni people. More than 22 million people out of a total population of 28 million are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. Eighteen million people lack reliable access to food; 8.4 million people “do not know how they will obtain their next meal.” As a scholar of genocide and human rights, I believe the destruction brought about by these attacks combined with the blockade amounts to genocide. Based on my research, to be published in an upcoming issue of Third World Quarterly, I believe the coalition would not be capable of committing this crime without the material and logistical support of both the Obama and Trump administrations. A ‘storm’ recast as ‘hope’ Yemen has been gripped by a civil war since 2015, pitting the Shia Houthi movement – which has fought for centuries for control of parts of Yemen – against a government backed by Sunni Saudi Arabia. Because of these religious differences, it would be easy to recast what is largely a political conflict in Yemen as a sectarian one. That characterisation fits Saudi and US assertions that the Houthis are controlled by Shiite Iran, a claim that has not gone uncontested. Both the Saudis and the US are hostile to Iran, so US support of Saudia Arabia in Yemen represents what US administrations have said are strategic interests in the region. Besides Saudi Arabia, the coalition attacking Yemen includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Qatar was part of the coalition but is no longer. During the first three years of “Operation Decisive Storm,” later renamed “Operation Renewal of Hope,” 16,749 coalition air attacks in Yemen were documented by the Yemen Data Project (YDP), which describes itself as an “independent data collection project aimed at collecting and disseminating data on the conduct of the war in Yemen.” Based on the information available to it using open sources, YDP reports that two-thirds of the coalition’s bombing attacks have been against non-military and unknown targets. The coalition isn’t accidentally attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure – it’s doing it deliberately. That’s evident from the kind – and volume – of civilian targets documented. They include places that are generally protected against attack even under the lax rules of international humanitarian law: Residential areas, vehicles, marketplaces and mosques as well as boats, social gatherings and camps for internally displaced persons. Because of the role it plays in the movement of people, food and medicine, Yemen’s transportation infrastructure is especially important. Airports, ports, bridges and roads have all been repeatedly attacked. Yemen’s economic infrastructure – farms, private businesses and factories, oil and gas facilities, water and electricity lines and food storage – have also been hit. And the coalition has targeted and destroyed schools and medical facilities, too. Finally, Yemen’s cultural heritage has been attacked. In all, at least 78 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed, including archaeological sites, museums, mosques, churches and tombs, as well as numerous other monuments and residences that have great historical and cultural significance. How to make a crisis The attacks aren’t the only way the coalition is creating a massive humanitarian crisis. The air and naval blockade, in effect since March 2015, “is essentially using the threat of starvation as a bargaining tool and an instrument of war,” according to the UN panel of experts on Yemen. The blockade stops and inspects vessels seeking entry to Yemen’s ports. That allows the coalition to regulate and restrict Yemenis’ access to food, fuel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid. In his analysis of the blockade’s legality, Dutch military scholar Martin Fink writes that the blockade means “massive time delays and uncertainty on what products would be allowed to enter.” Despite UN efforts to alleviate some of the worst delays, imports are often held up for a long time. In some cases, food that makes it through the blockade has already spoiled, if the entry is not denied altogether. In some ways, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is unprecedented and can be tied directly to the conflict. As the World Bank notes, “Yemen’s very difficult economic challenges before the current conflict cannot be compared to the intensely critical situation the country is facing today.” Similarly, Tufts University scholar Alex de Waal describes Yemen as “the greatest famine atrocity of our lifetimes.” It was caused, writes de Waal, by the coalition “deliberately destroying the country’s food-producing infrastructure.” The failing security for the people of Yemen has been compounded by a failing health system. The World Health Organisation reported in September 2017 that only 45 per cent of health facilities in Yemen were functional. As Secretary-General Guterres put it, “Treatable illnesses become a death sentence when local health services are suspended and it is impossible to travel outside the country.” As of February 2018, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the coalition had killed 6,000 people in airstrikes and wounded nearly 10,000 more. Yet, according to the OHCHR report, these counts are conservative. Tens of thousands of Yemenis have also died from causes related to the war. According to Save the Children, an estimated 85,000 children under five may have died since 2015, with more than 50,000 child deaths in 2017 alone from hunger and related causes. Coalition actions in Yemen amount to nothing short of what Raphael Lemkin, the individual who coined the term “genocide,” referred to as a “synchronized attack on different aspects of life.” The US contribution The coalition’s genocide in Yemen would not be possible without the complicity of the US. This has been a bipartisan presidential effort, covering both the Obama and Trump administrations. US arms are being used to kill Yemenis and destroy their country. In 2016, well after the coalition began its genocidal assault on Yemen, four of the top five recipients of US arms sales were members of the coalition. The US has also provided the coalition with logistical support, including mid-air refuelling, targeting advice and support, intelligence, expedited munitions resupply and maintenance. Other than the sale of arms, perhaps the most significant contribution to the coalition’s ability to commit genocide in Yemen has been the provision of fuel and mid-air refuelling of coalition warplanes, which was halted in early November 2018. By the middle of 2017, the US had delivered over 67 million pounds of fuel to the coalition and refuelled coalition aircraft more than 9,000 times. Shared responsibility for genocide As a genocide scholar, I believe that under international law, the US shares responsibility with the coalition for genocide in Yemen. What does this mean? It means that the US must cease and desist all activities that facilitate genocide in Yemen. This would include stopping all sales of weapons and ending logistical support for coalition action. In an ideal world, one in which all states are equally subjects before international law, the US would also seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding what restitution it owes the people of Yemen for its role in the coalition’s genocide. Similarly, the US would request an International Criminal Court investigation into individual culpability of US officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations for their role in facilitating the crimes committed in Yemen. Of course, this is not an ideal world. The US recognises neither the International Court of Justice’s authority to judge the legality of its actions, nor the International Criminal Court’s authority to investigate the suspected criminal acts of individual US officials. Such an investigation could be triggered by a UN Security Council referral, but the US would simply veto any such effort. All that is left, then, is for the people of the US to hold their own to account for the crimes committed in their names. (Jeff Bachman is Professorial Lecturer in Human Rights, American University School of International Service) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

US complicity in the Saudi-led genocide in Yemen spans Obama, Trump administrations

At least 149 people have been killed in 24 hours of clashes in Yemen's vital port city of Hodeida, medics and military sources said Monday, as international pressure mounted for a ceasefire.

Government loyalists backed by a Saudi-led coalition are fighting to oust Huthi rebels from the Red Sea city, whose port is a lifeline to 14 million Yemenis who face mass starvation.

A source in the pro-government coalition said the insurgents had pushed back a large-scale assault on the rebel-held port.

Government forces, led on the ground by Emirati-backed troops, have made their way into rebel-held Hodeida after 11 days of clashes, reaching residential neighbourhoods in the east on Sunday and sparking fears of street fights that would further endanger civilians trapped in the city.&nbsp;

Residents and government military sources have reported rebel snipers stationed on rooftops in civilian streets in eastern Hodeida, a few miles from the port on the western edge of the city.

Mariam Aldogani, Save the Children's field coordinator in Yemen, said that the people in Hodeida are living in a "state of fear".

"There is ongoing fighting, and the situation is very bad," she told AFP over the weekend by phone, as strikes were heard in the background.

The Hodeida offensive has sparked international outcry unprecedented in nearly four years of conflict between Yemen's Huthis, who are linked to Iran, and the Saudi-backed government.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a major ally of Washington, to engage in peace talks.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he will press King Salman and Prince Mohammed to support UN efforts to end the conflict, the Foreign Office said.

Both the United States and Britain are major suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

Hunt will also meet senior officials from Yemen and the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, a key pillar of the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government.

"The human cost of war in Yemen is incalculable," Hunt said ahead of his trip. "The only solution is now a political decision to set aside arms and pursue peace."

Aid groups fear for the safety of nearly 600,000 people living in Hodeida -- and for millions of others dependent on its port for what little food and humanitarian aid trickle into impoverished, blockaded Yemen.

Civilians killed

A military official in Hodeida on Monday confirmed seven civilians had died, without giving further details.&nbsp;

Medics in hospitals across the city reported 110 rebels and 32 loyalist fighters killed overnight, according to a tally by AFP.&nbsp;

Sources at the Al-Alfi military hospital, seized by the rebels during their 2014 takeover, said charred body parts had been delivered there overnight. Military sources confirmed that the Saudi-led alliance had targeted the rebels with multiple air strikes.

The rebels have begun to evacuate their wounded to Sanaa, the capital, which the Huthis seized during a 2014 takeover that included a string of ports on Yemen's coastline.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the Yemeni government's fight against the Iran-backed Huthis in 2015, triggering what the UN now calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.&nbsp;

The Saudi-led alliance drove the rebels from the Yemeni coast, but have failed to retake Hodeida despite multiple attempts.&nbsp;

Nearly 600 people have been killed since clashes erupted in Hodeida on November 1, ending a temporary suspension in a government offensive to take the city that began in June.

International pressure

The Saudi-led alliance has come under intense international pressure to end the conflict in Yemen, particularly following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.&nbsp;

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist killed in his country's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, was an ardent critic of Prince Mohammed, who has spearheaded the kingdom's controversial role in the Yemen war.&nbsp;

Multiple countries, including Germany and Norway, have announced the suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi's killing.&nbsp;

The United Nations' Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, is pushing for peace talks between the Huthis and Saudi-backed government by the end of the year. Multiple rounds of UN-brokered negotiations have failed to find a solution to the Yemen conflict.&nbsp;

The United States, which for years provided military training and aerial refueling for the Saudi-led coalition, on Saturday announced it would end its inflight refueling support for the alliance.&nbsp;

The coalition has been blacklisted by the United Nations for the killing and maiming of children, particularly in air raids on rebel-held territory.

The alliance accuses Iran of smuggling arms to the Huthis through the Hodeida port. Tehran denies the charges.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization estimates nearly 10,000 people have been killed in the Yemen war since 2015. But rights groups believe the toll may be five times as high.

At least 149 people have been killed in 24 hours of clashes in Yemen's vital port city of Hodeida, medics and military sources said Monday, as international pressure mounted for a ceasefire.

At least 149 people have been killed in 24 hours of clashes in Yemen's vital port city of Hodeida, medics and military sources said Monday, as international pressure mounted for a ceasefire. Government loyalists backed by a Saudi-led coalition are fighting to oust Huthi rebels from the Red Sea city, whose port is a lifeline to 14 million Yemenis who face mass starvation. A source in the pro-government coalition said the insurgents had pushed back a large-scale assault on the rebel-held port. Government forces, led on the ground by Emirati-backed troops, have made their way into rebel-held Hodeida after 11 days of clashes, reaching residential neighbourhoods in the east on Sunday and sparking fears of street fights that would further endanger civilians trapped in the city. Residents and government military sources have reported rebel snipers stationed on rooftops in civilian streets in eastern Hodeida, a few miles from the port on the western edge of the city. Mariam Aldogani, Save the Children's field coordinator in Yemen, said that the people in Hodeida are living in a "state of fear". "There is ongoing fighting, and the situation is very bad," she told AFP over the weekend by phone, as strikes were heard in the background. The Hodeida offensive has sparked international outcry unprecedented in nearly four years of conflict between Yemen's Huthis, who are linked to Iran, and the Saudi-backed government. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a major ally of Washington, to engage in peace talks. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he will press King Salman and Prince Mohammed to support UN efforts to end the conflict, the Foreign Office said. Both the United States and Britain are major suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia. Hunt will also meet senior officials from Yemen and the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, a key pillar of the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government. "The human cost of war in Yemen is incalculable," Hunt said ahead of his trip. "The only solution is now a political decision to set aside arms and pursue peace." Aid groups fear for the safety of nearly 600,000 people living in Hodeida -- and for millions of others dependent on its port for what little food and humanitarian aid trickle into impoverished, blockaded Yemen. Civilians killed A military official in Hodeida on Monday confirmed seven civilians had died, without giving further details. Medics in hospitals across the city reported 110 rebels and 32 loyalist fighters killed overnight, according to a tally by AFP. Sources at the Al-Alfi military hospital, seized by the rebels during their 2014 takeover, said charred body parts had been delivered there overnight. Military sources confirmed that the Saudi-led alliance had targeted the rebels with multiple air strikes. The rebels have begun to evacuate their wounded to Sanaa, the capital, which the Huthis seized during a 2014 takeover that included a string of ports on Yemen's coastline. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the Yemeni government's fight against the Iran-backed Huthis in 2015, triggering what the UN now calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The Saudi-led alliance drove the rebels from the Yemeni coast, but have failed to retake Hodeida despite multiple attempts. Nearly 600 people have been killed since clashes erupted in Hodeida on November 1, ending a temporary suspension in a government offensive to take the city that began in June. International pressure The Saudi-led alliance has come under intense international pressure to end the conflict in Yemen, particularly following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist killed in his country's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, was an ardent critic of Prince Mohammed, who has spearheaded the kingdom's controversial role in the Yemen war. Multiple countries, including Germany and Norway, have announced the suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi's killing. The United Nations' Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, is pushing for peace talks between the Huthis and Saudi-backed government by the end of the year. Multiple rounds of UN-brokered negotiations have failed to find a solution to the Yemen conflict. The United States, which for years provided military training and aerial refueling for the Saudi-led coalition, on Saturday announced it would end its inflight refueling support for the alliance. The coalition has been blacklisted by the United Nations for the killing and maiming of children, particularly in air raids on rebel-held territory. The alliance accuses Iran of smuggling arms to the Huthis through the Hodeida port. Tehran denies the charges. The World Health Organization estimates nearly 10,000 people have been killed in the Yemen war since 2015. But rights groups believe the toll may be five times as high.

149 killed in 24 hours in Yemen's Hodeida: Report

Yemeni government forces pressed further into the strategic port city of Hodeida, seizing its main hospital in heavy fighting Saturday, as their Saudi-led coalition backers put a brave face on an end to US refuelling support.

A loyalist official said mortar rounds were "falling like rain" in the streets as troops overcame rebel-laid mines and snipers to take control of the main hospital in the city of some 600,000 people.

The rebels have put up fierce resistance to the government advance towards the city's vital docks, which are the point of entry for 80 per cent of Yemen's commercial imports and nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid.

The grinding Saudi-led war in Yemen has caused growing international unease after high-profile coalition air strikes that have killed scores of civilians, many of them children.

The intensified coalition-backed push into Hodeida, which has claimed the lives of at least 382 combatants this month, comes despite aid agency warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a protracted battle for the city.

Some 14 million Yemenis are at risk of famine and many more are dependent on international aid, according to UN agency figures, making it vital that Hodeida's port remains open and undamaged.

Yemeni officials said Saturday that pro-government forces had captured the city's May 22 Hospital.

Amnesty International had earlier accused the Huthis of "deliberate militarisation" of the facility after they posted snipers on its roof.

'Street fighting'

Two days after loyalist troops entered residential neighbourhoods of Hodeida for the first time, fighting raged in the city's east as pro-government forces backed by air strikes and helicopters sought to push deeper into the city.

"The battles here are turning into street fighting," one loyalist official said, adding that pro-government forces had advanced around a kilometre along a major highway into the city on Saturday.

Hodeida resident Lubna, who asked that her full name not be used for fear of retaliation, said "the noise of Apache helicopters, artillery and gunfire" was incessant.

Huthi forces were using artillery to pound advancing loyalist forces, at times firing from residential areas, she said, fearing this "could mean that civilians pay the highest price".

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Saturday urged the coalition, the Huthis "and all those supplying arms to the parties to the conflict to take immediate steps to end the suffering of civilians in Yemen".

Save the Children field coordinator Mariam Aldogani spoke of intense coalition air strikes, with over 15 hitting in the space of just 30 minutes.&nbsp;

"This is the worst time for Hodeida children," she said.

The UN Human Rights Office, meanwhile, said there were "serious concerns about the fate of 900 detainees" at six pre-trial detention facilities and Hodeida's central prison, which was hit by mortar shells on Monday.

Refuelling deal scrapped

The suspension of US assistance to refuel coalition aircraft comes as Washington's backing of the war effort faces increased scrutiny following international outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder last month in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

In an apparent face-saving move, Saudi Arabia sought to project the decision as its own, not Washington's.

The Pentagon had been providing refuelling capabilities for about 20 percent of coalition planes flying sorties over Yemen.

Saudi-controlled media suggested the coalition had the capacity to make up the shortfall.

Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath television reported that the kingdom has 23 planes of its own for refuelling operations devoted to Yemen operations, while the UAE has six.

Loyalist commander Colonel Sadiq Duwaid said the decision would "not affect" the coalition assault on Hodeida, which would continue "until the Huthi militias surrender".

The intensified battle for Hodeida comes despite Pentagon chief James Mattis calling last month for a ceasefire and negotiations between Yemen's warring parties within 30 days.

The United Nations has since pushed that deadline back to the end of the year.

In an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Friday, the head of the rebels' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, said the escalating offensive in Hodeida showed Mattis's ceasefire call was "nothing but empty talk".

The article infuriated Yemeni government officials, who accused the Post of providing a platform to a "war criminal".&nbsp;

The Huthis have controlled Hodeida since 2014 when they overran the capital Sanaa and swept though much of the rest of the country, triggering the Saudi-led intervention the following year.

The rebels have since been driven out of virtually all of the south and much of the Red Sea coast.

At least 110 airstrikes were carried out in Hodeida, Saada, the Huthi stronghold in northern Yemen, and Sanaa between 31 October and 6 November, the UN Human Rights Office said Saturday.&nbsp;

Yemeni government forces pressed further into the strategic port city of Hodeida, seizing its main hospital in heavy fighting Saturday, as their Saudi-led coalition backers put a brave face on an end to US refuelling support.

Yemeni government forces pressed further into the strategic port city of Hodeida, seizing its main hospital in heavy fighting Saturday, as their Saudi-led coalition backers put a brave face on an end to US refuelling support. A loyalist official said mortar rounds were "falling like rain" in the streets as troops overcame rebel-laid mines and snipers to take control of the main hospital in the city of some 600,000 people. The rebels have put up fierce resistance to the government advance towards the city's vital docks, which are the point of entry for 80 per cent of Yemen's commercial imports and nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid. The grinding Saudi-led war in Yemen has caused growing international unease after high-profile coalition air strikes that have killed scores of civilians, many of them children. The intensified coalition-backed push into Hodeida, which has claimed the lives of at least 382 combatants this month, comes despite aid agency warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a protracted battle for the city. Some 14 million Yemenis are at risk of famine and many more are dependent on international aid, according to UN agency figures, making it vital that Hodeida's port remains open and undamaged. Yemeni officials said Saturday that pro-government forces had captured the city's May 22 Hospital. Amnesty International had earlier accused the Huthis of "deliberate militarisation" of the facility after they posted snipers on its roof. 'Street fighting' Two days after loyalist troops entered residential neighbourhoods of Hodeida for the first time, fighting raged in the city's east as pro-government forces backed by air strikes and helicopters sought to push deeper into the city. "The battles here are turning into street fighting," one loyalist official said, adding that pro-government forces had advanced around a kilometre along a major highway into the city on Saturday. Hodeida resident Lubna, who asked that her full name not be used for fear of retaliation, said "the noise of Apache helicopters, artillery and gunfire" was incessant. Huthi forces were using artillery to pound advancing loyalist forces, at times firing from residential areas, she said, fearing this "could mean that civilians pay the highest price". UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Saturday urged the coalition, the Huthis "and all those supplying arms to the parties to the conflict to take immediate steps to end the suffering of civilians in Yemen". Save the Children field coordinator Mariam Aldogani spoke of intense coalition air strikes, with over 15 hitting in the space of just 30 minutes. "This is the worst time for Hodeida children," she said. The UN Human Rights Office, meanwhile, said there were "serious concerns about the fate of 900 detainees" at six pre-trial detention facilities and Hodeida's central prison, which was hit by mortar shells on Monday. Refuelling deal scrapped The suspension of US assistance to refuel coalition aircraft comes as Washington's backing of the war effort faces increased scrutiny following international outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder last month in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. In an apparent face-saving move, Saudi Arabia sought to project the decision as its own, not Washington's. The Pentagon had been providing refuelling capabilities for about 20 percent of coalition planes flying sorties over Yemen. Saudi-controlled media suggested the coalition had the capacity to make up the shortfall. Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath television reported that the kingdom has 23 planes of its own for refuelling operations devoted to Yemen operations, while the UAE has six. Loyalist commander Colonel Sadiq Duwaid said the decision would "not affect" the coalition assault on Hodeida, which would continue "until the Huthi militias surrender". The intensified battle for Hodeida comes despite Pentagon chief James Mattis calling last month for a ceasefire and negotiations between Yemen's warring parties within 30 days. The United Nations has since pushed that deadline back to the end of the year. In an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Friday, the head of the rebels' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, said the escalating offensive in Hodeida showed Mattis's ceasefire call was "nothing but empty talk". The article infuriated Yemeni government officials, who accused the Post of providing a platform to a "war criminal". The Huthis have controlled Hodeida since 2014 when they overran the capital Sanaa and swept though much of the rest of the country, triggering the Saudi-led intervention the following year. The rebels have since been driven out of virtually all of the south and much of the Red Sea coast. At least 110 airstrikes were carried out in Hodeida, Saada, the Huthi stronghold in northern Yemen, and Sanaa between 31 October and 6 November, the UN Human Rights Office said Saturday.

Yemen loyalists push deeper into Hodeida as US cuts support

Saudi Arabia and the United States have agreed to end US refuelling of aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi insurgents in Yemen, ending a divisive aspect of US support to a war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine.

The move, announced by the coalition on Saturday and confirmed by Washington, comes at a time when Riyadh, already under scrutiny for civilian deaths in Yemen air strikes, is facing global furore and potential sanctions over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

The United States and Britain late last month called for a ceasefire in Yemen to support UN-led efforts to end the nearly four-year-long war that has killed more than 10,000 people and triggered the world's most urgent humanitarian crisis.

"Recently, the Kingdom and the Coalition increased its capability to independently conduct in-flight refuelling in Yemen. As a result, in consultation with the United States, the Coalition has requested the cessation of in-flight refuelling support for its operations in Yemen," it said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has a fleet of 23 planes for refuelling operations, including six Airbus 330 MRTT used for Yemen, while the United Arab Emirates has six of the Airbus planes, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya al-Hadath channel reported on Saturday.

Riyadh also has nine KC-130 Hercules aircraft that can be used, it added.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the decision was taken in consultation with the US government and that Washington supported the move while continuing to work with the alliance to minimise civilian casualties and expand humanitarian efforts.

Any co-ordinated decision by Washington and Riyadh could be an attempt to forestall action threatened in Congress next week by Democratic and Republican lawmakers over the refuelling operations.

However, a halt to refuelling could have a little practical effect on the conflict, seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Only a fifth of coalition aircraft require in-air refuelling from the United States, US officials said.

BATTLE FOR HODEIDAH

The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE has recently stepped up military operations against the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement, including in the main port city of Hodeidah, which is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis.

The Red Sea port has become a key battleground in the war in which the coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the internationally recognised government by ousting the Houthis from the capital Sanaa and other strategic cities.

UN bodies have warned that an all-out attack on Hodeidah, an entry point for 80 per cent of Yemen's food imports and aid relief, could trigger a famine in the impoverished country.

The World Food Programme said on Thursday it planned to double its food assistance programme for Yemen, aiming to reach up to 14 million people "to avert mass starvation".

Saudi Arabia and the United States have agreed to end US refuelling of aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi insurgents in Yemen, ending a divisive aspect of US support to a war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine.

Saudi Arabia and the United States have agreed to end US refuelling of aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi insurgents in Yemen, ending a divisive aspect of US support to a war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. The move, announced by the coalition on Saturday and confirmed by Washington, comes at a time when Riyadh, already under scrutiny for civilian deaths in Yemen air strikes, is facing global furore and potential sanctions over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2. The United States and Britain late last month called for a ceasefire in Yemen to support UN-led efforts to end the nearly four-year-long war that has killed more than 10,000 people and triggered the world's most urgent humanitarian crisis. "Recently, the Kingdom and the Coalition increased its capability to independently conduct in-flight refuelling in Yemen. As a result, in consultation with the United States, the Coalition has requested the cessation of in-flight refuelling support for its operations in Yemen," it said in a statement. Saudi Arabia has a fleet of 23 planes for refuelling operations, including six Airbus 330 MRTT used for Yemen, while the United Arab Emirates has six of the Airbus planes, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya al-Hadath channel reported on Saturday. Riyadh also has nine KC-130 Hercules aircraft that can be used, it added. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the decision was taken in consultation with the US government and that Washington supported the move while continuing to work with the alliance to minimise civilian casualties and expand humanitarian efforts. Any co-ordinated decision by Washington and Riyadh could be an attempt to forestall action threatened in Congress next week by Democratic and Republican lawmakers over the refuelling operations. However, a halt to refuelling could have a little practical effect on the conflict, seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Only a fifth of coalition aircraft require in-air refuelling from the United States, US officials said. BATTLE FOR HODEIDAH The Sunni Muslim alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE has recently stepped up military operations against the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement, including in the main port city of Hodeidah, which is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis. The Red Sea port has become a key battleground in the war in which the coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the internationally recognised government by ousting the Houthis from the capital Sanaa and other strategic cities. UN bodies have warned that an all-out attack on Hodeidah, an entry point for 80 per cent of Yemen's food imports and aid relief, could trigger a famine in the impoverished country. The World Food Programme said on Thursday it planned to double its food assistance programme for Yemen, aiming to reach up to 14 million people "to avert mass starvation".

US ends refuelling support in Yemen war as pressure builds on Saudi Arabia

Yemen's rebel chief on Wednesday vowed his fighters would never surrender to Saudi-backed pro-government forces, as the two sides battle for control of the insurgent-held port city of Hodeida.

"Does the enemy think that penetrating this or that area, or seizing this or that area, means we will be convinced that we should surrender and hand over control?" Abdulmalik al-Huthi said in a televised address.&nbsp;

"This is not happening and will not happen ever."

Yemen's rebel chief on Wednesday vowed his fighters would never surrender to Saudi-backed pro-government forces, as the two sides battle for control of the insurgent-held port city of Hodeida.

Yemen's rebel chief on Wednesday vowed his fighters would never surrender to Saudi-backed pro-government forces, as the two sides battle for control of the insurgent-held port city of Hodeida. "Does the enemy think that penetrating this or that area, or seizing this or that area, means we will be convinced that we should surrender and hand over control?" Abdulmalik al-Huthi said in a televised address. "This is not happening and will not happen ever."

Yemen rebel chief vows to 'never surrender'

Government troops and rebels clashed again Tuesday near a Yemeni port city crucial for humanitarian aid, where hundreds of thousands of civilians could be trapped as war closes in.

Five days of battles between Iran-linked Huthi rebels and the army, allied with a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, have left more than 150 combatants dead in the Red Sea province of Hodeida.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition on Monday said the government alliance had no plans to launch a full offensive to retake Hodeida.

But multiple military officials on the ground reported their troops had encircled the rebel-held city.

The rebels have also confirmed fierce fighting in the area via their Al-Masirah television station.

The fighting comes as the United Nations pushes to restart negotiations between warring parties, after talks collapsed in Geneva in September.

Hodeida is one of the last Huthi strongholds on Yemen's western coastline. The rebels seized the port, along with the capital, in 2014.

The rival Saudi-led camp, a powerful military alliance that includes the United Arab Emirates, has since retaken most of the country's ports.

'Never-ending nightmare'

The United Nations' children's fund (UNICEF) -- which has called Yemen a "living hell" -- this week warned an assault on Hodeida would jeopardise the lives of people in the city and across the country.

The port of Hodeida is crucial for aid delivery and food imports to Yemen, where famine looms over 14 million people and a child dies every 10 minutes, according to the UN.

Medics at hospitals in the Hodeida neighbourhood of Bajil reported they had received the bodies of 49 Huthi rebels on Tuesday morning.

Hospitals in government-held Mokha, south of Hodeida, said 15 soldiers had been killed.

Rights groups warn the worst could be yet to come in Hodeida.

"The past days have... seen fierce fighting and air strikes pick up in the vicinity of Hodeida city, threatening to further deteriorate civilians' access to safety and aid," the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned on Monday night.

Save the Children reported almost 100 air strikes counted by its staff at the weekend -- five times as many as in the whole first week of October.

The NRC warned the fighting around Hodeida city threatened "to further deteriorate civilians' access to safety and aid".

Failing economy

The poorest country in the Arab world, Yemen is now home to what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Nearly 14 million people are at risk of famine as the war nears its fourth year.

The World Health Organization says 10,000 people have been killed since the Saudi-led coalition intervened on the side of the government in 2015.

Yemen's government on Tuesday approved new budget and tax collection measures aimed at bolstering the central bank as looming famine threatens millions.

The cabinet backed the formation of a committee tasked with setting the government budget for 2019, according to state news agency Saba.

It also passed a resolution pushing for the collection of owed taxes and customs "on all taxable imports at all land, sea and air ports in liberated areas", or areas under government control.

The Yemeni riyal has plunged more than 36 percent in 2018, despite a $2-billion deposit in the central bank by Saudi Arabia aimed at saving the currency.

The riyal's slide has triggered a sharp rise in the prices of commodities, especially food and fuel, leaving millions unable to afford basic staples.

Government troops and rebels clashed again Tuesday near a Yemeni port city crucial for humanitarian aid, where hundreds of thousands of civilians could be trapped as war closes in.

Government troops and rebels clashed again Tuesday near a Yemeni port city crucial for humanitarian aid, where hundreds of thousands of civilians could be trapped as war closes in. Five days of battles between Iran-linked Huthi rebels and the army, allied with a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, have left more than 150 combatants dead in the Red Sea province of Hodeida. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition on Monday said the government alliance had no plans to launch a full offensive to retake Hodeida. But multiple military officials on the ground reported their troops had encircled the rebel-held city. The rebels have also confirmed fierce fighting in the area via their Al-Masirah television station. The fighting comes as the United Nations pushes to restart negotiations between warring parties, after talks collapsed in Geneva in September. Hodeida is one of the last Huthi strongholds on Yemen's western coastline. The rebels seized the port, along with the capital, in 2014. The rival Saudi-led camp, a powerful military alliance that includes the United Arab Emirates, has since retaken most of the country's ports. 'Never-ending nightmare' The United Nations' children's fund (UNICEF) -- which has called Yemen a "living hell" -- this week warned an assault on Hodeida would jeopardise the lives of people in the city and across the country. The port of Hodeida is crucial for aid delivery and food imports to Yemen, where famine looms over 14 million people and a child dies every 10 minutes, according to the UN. Medics at hospitals in the Hodeida neighbourhood of Bajil reported they had received the bodies of 49 Huthi rebels on Tuesday morning. Hospitals in government-held Mokha, south of Hodeida, said 15 soldiers had been killed. Rights groups warn the worst could be yet to come in Hodeida. "The past days have... seen fierce fighting and air strikes pick up in the vicinity of Hodeida city, threatening to further deteriorate civilians' access to safety and aid," the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned on Monday night. Save the Children reported almost 100 air strikes counted by its staff at the weekend -- five times as many as in the whole first week of October. The NRC warned the fighting around Hodeida city threatened "to further deteriorate civilians' access to safety and aid". Failing economy The poorest country in the Arab world, Yemen is now home to what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 14 million people are at risk of famine as the war nears its fourth year. The World Health Organization says 10,000 people have been killed since the Saudi-led coalition intervened on the side of the government in 2015. Yemen's government on Tuesday approved new budget and tax collection measures aimed at bolstering the central bank as looming famine threatens millions. The cabinet backed the formation of a committee tasked with setting the government budget for 2019, according to state news agency Saba. It also passed a resolution pushing for the collection of owed taxes and customs "on all taxable imports at all land, sea and air ports in liberated areas", or areas under government control. The Yemeni riyal has plunged more than 36 percent in 2018, despite a $2-billion deposit in the central bank by Saudi Arabia aimed at saving the currency. The riyal's slide has triggered a sharp rise in the prices of commodities, especially food and fuel, leaving millions unable to afford basic staples.

Fears for civilians rise as clashes rattle Yemen port city

Over seven million children face a serious threat of famine in Yemen and ending the country's war will not save all of them, the UN children's agency said.

"Today, 1.8 million children under the age of five are facing acute malnutrition, and 400,000 are affected by severe acute malnutrition," said Geert Cappelaere, regional director of UNICEF.

"More than half" of the 14 million people at serious risk of famine in the impoverished country are children, Cappelaere told AFP late on Wednesday.

"Ending the war is not enough," he said, referring to a more than three year conflict that pits the government supported by a Saudi-led military coalition against Huthi rebels.

"What we need is to stop the war and (to create) a government mechanism that puts at the centre the people and children.

"The war is exacerbating the situation that was already bad before because of years of underdevelopment" in the Arab world's poorest nation, Cappelaere said.

He welcomed a call by the UN on Wednesday to relaunch peace talks within a month.

He said efforts to come up with a solution in the next 30 days were "critical" to improving aid distribution and saving lives.

Cappelaere said that over 6,000 children have either been killed or sustained serious injuries since 2015.

"These are the numbers we have been able to verify, but we can safely assume that the number is higher, much higher," he said.

Saudi Arabia and its allies entered the war to bolster Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Iran-backed rebels took over the capital Sanaa.

Since 2015, more than 10,000 people have been killed and some 22 million -- three quarters of the population -- are in need of food aid, according to the UN.

Over seven million children face a serious threat of famine in Yemen and ending the country's war will not save all of them, the UN children's agency said. "Today, 1.

Over seven million children face a serious threat of famine in Yemen and ending the country's war will not save all of them, the UN children's agency said. "Today, 1.8 million children under the age of five are facing acute malnutrition, and 400,000 are affected by severe acute malnutrition," said Geert Cappelaere, regional director of UNICEF. "More than half" of the 14 million people at serious risk of famine in the impoverished country are children, Cappelaere told AFP late on Wednesday. "Ending the war is not enough," he said, referring to a more than three year conflict that pits the government supported by a Saudi-led military coalition against Huthi rebels. "What we need is to stop the war and (to create) a government mechanism that puts at the centre the people and children. "The war is exacerbating the situation that was already bad before because of years of underdevelopment" in the Arab world's poorest nation, Cappelaere said. He welcomed a call by the UN on Wednesday to relaunch peace talks within a month. He said efforts to come up with a solution in the next 30 days were "critical" to improving aid distribution and saving lives. Cappelaere said that over 6,000 children have either been killed or sustained serious injuries since 2015. "These are the numbers we have been able to verify, but we can safely assume that the number is higher, much higher," he said. Saudi Arabia and its allies entered the war to bolster Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Iran-backed rebels took over the capital Sanaa. Since 2015, more than 10,000 people have been killed and some 22 million -- three quarters of the population -- are in need of food aid, according to the UN.

Over 7 million Yemeni children face extreme scarcity of food : UN

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/arab-states-launch-biggest-assault-of-yemen-war-with-attack-on-main-port-of-hudaydah-144236">Arab states launch </a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/arab-states-launch-biggest-assault-of-yemen-war-with-attack-on-main-port-of-hudaydah-144236">biggest</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/arab-states-launch-biggest-assault-of-yemen-war-with-attack-on-main-port-of-hudaydah-144236"> assault of Yemen war with </a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/arab-states-launch-biggest-assault-of-yemen-war-with-attack-on-main-port-of-hudaydah-144236">attack</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/arab-states-launch-biggest-assault-of-yemen-war-with-attack-on-main-port-of-hudaydah-144236"> on country's main port</a>

A Saudi-led alliance of Arab states launched an attack on Yemen’s main port city on Wednesday in the largest battle of the Yemen war, aiming to bring the ruling Houthi movement to its knees at the risk of worsening the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/nirav-modi-travelling-in-brussels-on-singapore-passport-sources-144248">Nirav Modi reported </a><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/nirav-modi-travelling-in-brussels-on-singapore-passport-sources-144248">to have</a><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/nirav-modi-travelling-in-brussels-on-singapore-passport-sources-144248"> fled London for Brussels</a>

Absconding diamantaire and PNB fraud accused Nirav Modi is reported to have fled London for Brussels.&nbsp;

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/karti-chidambarams-firms-received-116-crore-bribe-in-aircel-maxis-deal-probe-agency-144231">Karti Chidambaram's firms received Rs 1.16-crore bribe in Aircel-Maxis deal: ED</a>

Former Union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti controlled two firms which allegedly received Rs. 1.16 crore as bribe money in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said in its charge sheet filed before a Delhi court.

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/120-countries-at-united-nations-condemn-israel-over-gaza-violence-144241">120 countries at United Nations condemn Israel over Gaza violence</a>

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by a strong majority of 120 countries an Arab-backed resolution condemning Israel for Palestinian deaths in Gaza and rejected a US bid to blame Hamas for the violence.

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/argentine-congress-prepares-for-historic-abortion-vote-144238">Argentine Congress prepares for historic abortion vote</a>

Lawmakers in conservative Argentina prepared to vote Wednesday on a decisive bill to legalize abortion which if passed, would make it the most populous Latin American country to do so.

&nbsp;

Arab states launch biggest assault of Yemen war with attack on country's main port A Saudi-led alliance of Arab states launched an attack on Yemen’s main port city on Wednesday in the largest battle of the Yemen war, aiming to bring the ruling Houthi movement to its knees at the risk of worsening the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Nirav Modi reported to have fled London for Brussels Absconding diamantaire and PNB fraud accused Nirav Modi is reported to have fled London for Brussels. Karti Chidambaram's firms received Rs 1.16-crore bribe in Aircel-Maxis deal: ED Former Union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti controlled two firms which allegedly received Rs. 1.16 crore as bribe money in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said in its charge sheet filed before a Delhi court. 120 countries at United Nations condemn Israel over Gaza violence The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by a strong majority of 120 countries an Arab-backed resolution condemning Israel for Palestinian deaths in Gaza and rejected a US bid to blame Hamas for the violence. Argentine Congress prepares for historic abortion vote Lawmakers in conservative Argentina prepared to vote Wednesday on a decisive bill to legalize abortion which if passed, would make it the most populous Latin American country to do so.

News brief: Big stories of the day

A Saudi-led alliance of Arab states launched an attack on Yemen’s main port city on Wednesday in the largest battle of the Yemen war, aiming to bring the ruling Houthi movement to its knees at the risk of worsening the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.

Arab warplanes and warships pounded Houthi fortifications to support ground operations by foreign and Yemeni troops massed south of the port of Hodeidah in operation “Golden Victory”.

Fighting raged near Hodeidah airport and al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6 miles) south of the city, media controlled by the Arab states and their Yemeni allies reported.

The United Arab Emirates’ state news agency reported that UAE forces and local allies had penetrated the Houthis’ front line on the airport perimeter.

It also reported that four Emirati soldiers had died in Yemen, without specifying whether the deaths were tied to the Hodeidah operation.

So far, the Arab states have not tried to capture such a heavily defended major city since joining the war three years ago against the Iran-aligned Houthis, who control the capital, Sanaa, and most of the populated areas.

The Sunni Muslim Arab states see the Houthi rise as expansionism by their Shia foe Iran.

The Houthis, from a Shi’ite minority, say they took power through a popular revolt and are defending Yemen from invasion.

The Saudi-led coalition’s plan is to take control only of the airport and seaport, plus the route leading to Sanaa, spokesman Turki al-Malki said. “We will not fight a street war with the Houthis in Hodeidah city, for the safety of civilians,” he told al-Hadath TV.

The Houthis said they had a repelled a sea landing near the port by forces from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “The Saudi coalition has not advanced at all in Hodeidah,” Dayfallah al-Shami, a member of the movement’s political bureau, told the Lebanese TV channel al-Mayadeen.

Yemen is experiencing a humanitarian crisis that eclipses even Syria’s. The United Nations says 22 million Yemenis are in need of humanitarian aid, with 8.4 million on the verge of famine - a figure that could rise to 10 million by the end of this year, For most, the port is the only route for food supplies.

Despite the fighting, the United Nations kept up its aid supplies. “We are there and delivering, we are not leaving Hodeidah,” said Lise Grande, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen.

“We have a ship offloading food even as shelling and bombing is happening. Humanitarians will not walk away,” she told Reuters by telephone from Sanaa.

The U.N. Security Council is due to meet behind closed doors on Thursday - at the request of Britain - over the attack, diplomats said.

The Houthis deployed military vehicles and troops in the city center and near the port, as warplanes struck the coast to the south, said a resident speaking on condition of anonymity. People fled by routes to the north and west.

CARE International, one of the few aid agencies still there, said 30 air strikes hit the city within half an hour. “Some civilians are entrapped, others forced from their homes. We thought it could not get any worse, but unfortunately we were wrong,” said CARE’s acting country director, Jolien Veldwijk.

CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

The U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said the world body was talking to both sides to try to avert a battle. “We call on them to exercise restraint & engage with political efforts to spare Hodeidah a military confrontation,” he tweeted.

The Arab states say they will try to keep the port running and can ease the crisis once they seize it by lifting import restrictions they have imposed.

They announced a five-point aid plan for the Hodeidah port and surrounding areas, including the establishment of a shipping lane to Hodeidah from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, and Jizan, a city in southern Saudi Arabia.

But they accused the Houthis of planting mines that could prolong efforts to bring in aid after the port’s capture.

Western countries have quietly backed the Arab states diplomatically, while mostly avoiding direct public involvement in the conflict. The United States, Britain and France all sell billions of dollars of weapons a year to the Arab countries.

Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi criticized the Gulf Arabs’ Western allies. “The British told us a week ago that the Emiratis and the Saudis had told them they would not enter the battle of Hodeidah without their agreement and assistance,” he said. “So we hold them and America responsible.”

In London, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the British government was in contact with the coalition about ensuring its operations comply with international law on protecting civilians. Those should “not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows through the port”, he said in a statement.

In Washington, the State Department’s top Middle East official, David Satterfield, told lawmakers the United States was not assisting the operation in Hodeidah. It was unclear if that applied to assistance to the coalition that Washington provides in the form of aircraft refueling and intelligence support.

The operation began after a three-day deadline set by the UAE for the Houthis to quit the port.

“The liberation of the port is the start of the fall of the Houthi militia and will secure marine shipping in the Bab al-Mandab strait and cut off the hands of Iran, which has long drowned Yemen in weapons that shed precious Yemeni blood,” Yemen’s Arab-backed government-in-exile said in a statement.

A Yemeni anti-Houthi military official said the alliance had brought to bear a 21,000-strong force. It includes Emirati and Sudanese troops as well as Yemenis, drawn from southern separatists, local Red Sea coast fighters and a battalion led by a nephew of late former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The United Arab Emirates’ state news agency reported that UAE forces and local allies had penetrated the Houthis’ front line on the airport perimeter

A Saudi-led alliance of Arab states launched an attack on Yemen’s main port city on Wednesday in the largest battle of the Yemen war, aiming to bring the ruling Houthi movement to its knees at the risk of worsening the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Arab warplanes and warships pounded Houthi fortifications to support ground operations by foreign and Yemeni troops massed south of the port of Hodeidah in operation “Golden Victory”. Fighting raged near Hodeidah airport and al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6 miles) south of the city, media controlled by the Arab states and their Yemeni allies reported. The United Arab Emirates’ state news agency reported that UAE forces and local allies had penetrated the Houthis’ front line on the airport perimeter. It also reported that four Emirati soldiers had died in Yemen, without specifying whether the deaths were tied to the Hodeidah operation. So far, the Arab states have not tried to capture such a heavily defended major city since joining the war three years ago against the Iran-aligned Houthis, who control the capital, Sanaa, and most of the populated areas. The Sunni Muslim Arab states see the Houthi rise as expansionism by their Shia foe Iran. The Houthis, from a Shi’ite minority, say they took power through a popular revolt and are defending Yemen from invasion. The Saudi-led coalition’s plan is to take control only of the airport and seaport, plus the route leading to Sanaa, spokesman Turki al-Malki said. “We will not fight a street war with the Houthis in Hodeidah city, for the safety of civilians,” he told al-Hadath TV. The Houthis said they had a repelled a sea landing near the port by forces from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “The Saudi coalition has not advanced at all in Hodeidah,” Dayfallah al-Shami, a member of the movement’s political bureau, told the Lebanese TV channel al-Mayadeen. Yemen is experiencing a humanitarian crisis that eclipses even Syria’s. The United Nations says 22 million Yemenis are in need of humanitarian aid, with 8.4 million on the verge of famine - a figure that could rise to 10 million by the end of this year, For most, the port is the only route for food supplies. Despite the fighting, the United Nations kept up its aid supplies. “We are there and delivering, we are not leaving Hodeidah,” said Lise Grande, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. “We have a ship offloading food even as shelling and bombing is happening. Humanitarians will not walk away,” she told Reuters by telephone from Sanaa. The U.N. Security Council is due to meet behind closed doors on Thursday - at the request of Britain - over the attack, diplomats said. The Houthis deployed military vehicles and troops in the city center and near the port, as warplanes struck the coast to the south, said a resident speaking on condition of anonymity. People fled by routes to the north and west. CARE International, one of the few aid agencies still there, said 30 air strikes hit the city within half an hour. “Some civilians are entrapped, others forced from their homes. We thought it could not get any worse, but unfortunately we were wrong,” said CARE’s acting country director, Jolien Veldwijk. CALLS FOR RESTRAINT The U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said the world body was talking to both sides to try to avert a battle. “We call on them to exercise restraint & engage with political efforts to spare Hodeidah a military confrontation,” he tweeted. The Arab states say they will try to keep the port running and can ease the crisis once they seize it by lifting import restrictions they have imposed. They announced a five-point aid plan for the Hodeidah port and surrounding areas, including the establishment of a shipping lane to Hodeidah from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, and Jizan, a city in southern Saudi Arabia. But they accused the Houthis of planting mines that could prolong efforts to bring in aid after the port’s capture. Western countries have quietly backed the Arab states diplomatically, while mostly avoiding direct public involvement in the conflict. The United States, Britain and France all sell billions of dollars of weapons a year to the Arab countries. Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi criticized the Gulf Arabs’ Western allies. “The British told us a week ago that the Emiratis and the Saudis had told them they would not enter the battle of Hodeidah without their agreement and assistance,” he said. “So we hold them and America responsible.” In London, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the British government was in contact with the coalition about ensuring its operations comply with international law on protecting civilians. Those should “not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows through the port”, he said in a statement. In Washington, the State Department’s top Middle East official, David Satterfield, told lawmakers the United States was not assisting the operation in Hodeidah. It was unclear if that applied to assistance to the coalition that Washington provides in the form of aircraft refueling and intelligence support. The operation began after a three-day deadline set by the UAE for the Houthis to quit the port. “The liberation of the port is the start of the fall of the Houthi militia and will secure marine shipping in the Bab al-Mandab strait and cut off the hands of Iran, which has long drowned Yemen in weapons that shed precious Yemeni blood,” Yemen’s Arab-backed government-in-exile said in a statement. A Yemeni anti-Houthi military official said the alliance had brought to bear a 21,000-strong force. It includes Emirati and Sudanese troops as well as Yemenis, drawn from southern separatists, local Red Sea coast fighters and a battalion led by a nephew of late former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Arab states launch biggest assault of Yemen war with attack on country's main port

Several people were killed as Yemeni armed groups allied to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates fought in the southern city of Aden on Sunday.&nbsp;

The worst clashes yet between UAE-backed southern separatists and forces loyal to the Saudi-based government risk crippling their once united war effort against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen&#39;s north.

The fighting erupted after strict decisions issued by the government to ban peaceful demonstrations organized by the STC in Aden province.

Explosions and heavy gunfire could be heard ranging out across Aden&#39;s main streets media reports said.&nbsp;

An unprecedented military adventure for the usually cautious Gulf states, the campaign in their much poorer and less politically stable neighbour was aimed at sending a decisive signal that they would oppose Iranian expansion in their midst.

But Yemen has been torn apart by three years of conflict and the factional fighting in the south compounds the misery.

Gunmen were deployed throughout most districts of Aden on Sunday and there was heavy automatic gunfire and explosions in the southern port city, according to Reuters witnesses.

Armed separatists wrested a key military base and several government buildings from soldiers loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as residents reported that hundreds of pro-Southern demonstrators had gathered in a main square.

The clashes come as a deadline imposed by the separatists for the government to resign expired on Sunday. 
 
Although Hadi remains in exile in Saudi Arabia, his administration nominally controls about four-fifths of Yemen&#39;s territory, but political and military leaders in Aden now want to revive the former independent state of South Yemen.

The southern separatists - the Southern Resistance Forces - last week accused Hadi&#39;s cabinet of corruption and inefficiency and demanded they quit.

A top military adviser to President Hadi, Mohammed Ali al-Miqdashi, said any move toward rebellion would render the southerners an enemy.

&quot;There is no difference between the Houthis and anyone else who rebels against the legitimate government, no matter who they are - left, right, south, east,&quot; said Miqdashi, speaking at a remote military base near the central Yemeni city of Marib, late on Saturday.

A senior southern political source accused the government of pushing the dispute toward an armed showdown.

&quot;The Hadi government was nervous about any demonstration by the people, so they tried to stop it by force thinking that if there were a battle, the coalition would intervene and save them,&quot; the source said.

In a statement late on Saturday before the clashes began, the Saudi-led coalition urged all parties to seek &quot;calm and restraint, adhering to the language of a calm dialogue.&quot;

(With inputs from agencies)

The worst clashes yet between UAE-backed southern separatists and forces loyal to the Saudi-based government risk crippling their once united war effort against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen's north

Several people were killed as Yemeni armed groups allied to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates fought in the southern city of Aden on Sunday. The worst clashes yet between UAE-backed southern separatists and forces loyal to the Saudi-based government risk crippling their once united war effort against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen's north. The fighting erupted after strict decisions issued by the government to ban peaceful demonstrations organized by the STC in Aden province. Explosions and heavy gunfire could be heard ranging out across Aden's main streets media reports said. An unprecedented military adventure for the usually cautious Gulf states, the campaign in their much poorer and less politically stable neighbour was aimed at sending a decisive signal that they would oppose Iranian expansion in their midst. But Yemen has been torn apart by three years of conflict and the factional fighting in the south compounds the misery. Gunmen were deployed throughout most districts of Aden on Sunday and there was heavy automatic gunfire and explosions in the southern port city, according to Reuters witnesses. Armed separatists wrested a key military base and several government buildings from soldiers loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as residents reported that hundreds of pro-Southern demonstrators had gathered in a main square. The clashes come as a deadline imposed by the separatists for the government to resign expired on Sunday. Although Hadi remains in exile in Saudi Arabia, his administration nominally controls about four-fifths of Yemen's territory, but political and military leaders in Aden now want to revive the former independent state of South Yemen. The southern separatists - the Southern Resistance Forces - last week accused Hadi's cabinet of corruption and inefficiency and demanded they quit. A top military adviser to President Hadi, Mohammed Ali al-Miqdashi, said any move toward rebellion would render the southerners an enemy. "There is no difference between the Houthis and anyone else who rebels against the legitimate government, no matter who they are - left, right, south, east," said Miqdashi, speaking at a remote military base near the central Yemeni city of Marib, late on Saturday. A senior southern political source accused the government of pushing the dispute toward an armed showdown. "The Hadi government was nervous about any demonstration by the people, so they tried to stop it by force thinking that if there were a battle, the coalition would intervene and save them," the source said. In a statement late on Saturday before the clashes began, the Saudi-led coalition urged all parties to seek "calm and restraint, adhering to the language of a calm dialogue." (With inputs from agencies)

Deadly clashes split ranks of Gulf allies in Yemen war, several people killed

&nbsp;A cholera outbreak in Yemen has killed 180 people since April 27, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Monday, hours after the Houthi-controlled health ministry said 115 had died from the disease in the capital Sanaa.

ICRC&#39;s Dominik Stillhart told reporters in the Yemeni city of Aden there were 11,000 more suspected cholera cases across the war-torn country. Authorities on Sunday had declared a state of emergency in Sanaa over the outbreak and called for international help to avert disaster.

Hospitals are short of space and medicine is in short supply as people struggle to cope with the bacterial disease.&nbsp;

Cholera is normally contracted by consumption of water and food contaminated by human feces. It leads to&nbsp;massive dehydrating diarrhoea attacks along with vomiting&nbsp;and cramps which if not quickly healed can&nbsp;kill a person in a few days.&nbsp;

Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), defined the situation in Yemen as &quot;catastrophic&quot;.&nbsp;During a press conference held in the country&#39;s capital city of Sanaa, he told reporters,&nbsp;&quot;There are people in the gardens, and some even in their cars with the IV drip (intravenous infusions) hanging from the window. There are up to four cholera patients in one single bed.&quot;&nbsp;

The disease is spreading nationwide and Mr. Stillhart informed that since April 27&nbsp;hospitals reported more than 8,500 suspected cases, 2,300 of which in the last week alone. &nbsp;

Hygiene is fundamental in combating the epidemy and a recent garbage crisis in the capital city is not helping. Mr. Stillart reported that piles of garbage lie on Sanaa&#39;s street, contributing to make the environment more prone to any bacterial disease.&nbsp;

On top of all this Yemen is facing a severe food shortage, to the point that the United Nations repeatedly warned that 17 million Yemeni citizens are on the brink of famine and the country is suffering from one of the world&#39;s worst hunger crisis. Children are&nbsp;suffering the most; according to UNICEF there are currently &quot;462,000 children are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition &ndash; a nearly 200 per cent increase since 2014.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;What is happening today exceeds the capabilities of any healthy health system, so how can we (cope) when we are in these difficult and complicated conditions,&quot; Yemen&#39;s news agency Saba quoted the Houthi-run administration&#39;s health minister Mohammed Salem bin Hafeedh as saying.

Cholera was perhaps the last thing&nbsp;Yemen needed. The country, the poorest in the Arab world, faces its third year of a war which split the nation between the Shiite Houthi rebels, reportedly supported by Iran, and President&#39;s Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi government, strongly supported by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, Bahrein, Quatar and to a minor extent Pakistan and Somalia are all part of the coalition.&nbsp;

Recent reports say that a new faction, led by Aidaroos Al Zubaidi, has announced its intention to make the southern part of Yemen independent, where the majority of the oil resources lie, adding more chaos to an already fragmented situation. &nbsp;

Since the beginning of the Arab&#39;s spring in Yemen in 2011, Al Qaida in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) has been able to seize the opportunity and establish their control over swathes of land. And, where there is al Qaida, the US army goes. Yemen has become the most recent chapter of America&#39;s war on terror. The US have no presence on the ground and mainly conduct raids and drone attacks alongside Saudi Arabia. &nbsp;

Houthi forces are mainly in control of the northeastern part of the country &ndash; where the capital Sanaa is located &ndash; and of the crucial Red Sea port of Hodeida.

Despite being less armed and less in numbers they have been capable of inflicting continuous losses to Saudi troops. &nbsp;

This does not seem to worry Saudi&#39;s deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, who said in a recent interview that his country could end the war in a few days by sending the ground force in, but they prefer to wait in order to avoid too many civilian casualties. &nbsp;

According to the UN, nearly 10,000 have already died in Yemen&#39;s war, a conflict which is once again the result of a hegemony struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran in order to establish their primacy over West Asia.&nbsp;

In the meanwhile the Saudi-led coalition is imposing a full-scale blockade against the Houthi-held areas which, given the country&#39;s location, has practically grounded its economy.&nbsp;

The country&#39;s main port of al Hodeidahis under Houthi&#39;s control and its functioning &ndash; once crucial in providing all kind of goods to 80 percent of the country &ndash; is way below normal with the immediate result of a hike in basic goods prices. &nbsp;

A possible Saudi-led military operation to retake control of the port is on the table, but it could result tremendosuly costly in terms of civilians deaths. The UN has warned of an imminent tragedy in case of fighting involving the port ant the adjacent city where 400,000 people live. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The Houthis will do whatever they can in order to defend the al Hudaydah port,&quot; says Luca Nevola, research associate at the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies. &quot;They know that the port is the only source of whatever goods they need in order to survive, without al Hodeidahthe Houthis will be in great difficulty.&quot;

Saudis have recently renewed their intention to attack the port in order to prevent smuggled weapons to reach the Houthis. The coalition stated that they will open alternative routes, through the ports they control in the south.&nbsp;

Even if the US are fighting alongside Saudi Arabia, they are not expected to take part in an eventual operation to attack the port. &nbsp;

Yemen will most likely be on the table during the discussions that US President Donald Trump will have with the Saudi government during his visit, scheduled for May 19. &nbsp;

&#39;Weapons&#39; will also play a role in Trump&#39;s visit; A senior White House official told Reuters that the two countries are rushing to close a series of arm deals worth $100 billion. &nbsp;

Despite disagreement over the&nbsp;al Hodeidah port eventual attack, it does not seem that US support for Saudi Arabia&#39;s role in Yemen&#39;s war is not in doubt. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

It is the second outbreak in a country where already 10,000 had died due to one of the world's most forgotten war

A cholera outbreak in Yemen has killed 180 people since April 27, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Monday, hours after the Houthi-controlled health ministry said 115 had died from the disease in the capital Sanaa. ICRC's Dominik Stillhart told reporters in the Yemeni city of Aden there were 11,000 more suspected cholera cases across the war-torn country. Authorities on Sunday had declared a state of emergency in Sanaa over the outbreak and called for international help to avert disaster. Hospitals are short of space and medicine is in short supply as people struggle to cope with the bacterial disease. Cholera is normally contracted by consumption of water and food contaminated by human feces. It leads to massive dehydrating diarrhoea attacks along with vomiting and cramps which if not quickly healed can kill a person in a few days. Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), defined the situation in Yemen as "catastrophic". During a press conference held in the country's capital city of Sanaa, he told reporters, "There are people in the gardens, and some even in their cars with the IV drip (intravenous infusions) hanging from the window. There are up to four cholera patients in one single bed." The disease is spreading nationwide and Mr. Stillhart informed that since April 27 hospitals reported more than 8,500 suspected cases, 2,300 of which in the last week alone. Hygiene is fundamental in combating the epidemy and a recent garbage crisis in the capital city is not helping. Mr. Stillart reported that piles of garbage lie on Sanaa's street, contributing to make the environment more prone to any bacterial disease. On top of all this Yemen is facing a severe food shortage, to the point that the United Nations repeatedly warned that 17 million Yemeni citizens are on the brink of famine and the country is suffering from one of the world's worst hunger crisis. Children are suffering the most; according to UNICEF there are currently "462,000 children are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition – a nearly 200 per cent increase since 2014." "What is happening today exceeds the capabilities of any healthy health system, so how can we (cope) when we are in these difficult and complicated conditions," Yemen's news agency Saba quoted the Houthi-run administration's health minister Mohammed Salem bin Hafeedh as saying. Cholera was perhaps the last thing Yemen needed. The country, the poorest in the Arab world, faces its third year of a war which split the nation between the Shiite Houthi rebels, reportedly supported by Iran, and President's Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi government, strongly supported by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, Bahrein, Quatar and to a minor extent Pakistan and Somalia are all part of the coalition. Recent reports say that a new faction, led by Aidaroos Al Zubaidi, has announced its intention to make the southern part of Yemen independent, where the majority of the oil resources lie, adding more chaos to an already fragmented situation. Since the beginning of the Arab's spring in Yemen in 2011, Al Qaida in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) has been able to seize the opportunity and establish their control over swathes of land. And, where there is al Qaida, the US army goes. Yemen has become the most recent chapter of America's war on terror. The US have no presence on the ground and mainly conduct raids and drone attacks alongside Saudi Arabia. Houthi forces are mainly in control of the northeastern part of the country – where the capital Sanaa is located – and of the crucial Red Sea port of Hodeida. Despite being less armed and less in numbers they have been capable of inflicting continuous losses to Saudi troops. This does not seem to worry Saudi's deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, who said in a recent interview that his country could end the war in a few days by sending the ground force in, but they prefer to wait in order to avoid too many civilian casualties. According to the UN, nearly 10,000 have already died in Yemen's war, a conflict which is once again the result of a hegemony struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran in order to establish their primacy over West Asia. In the meanwhile the Saudi-led coalition is imposing a full-scale blockade against the Houthi-held areas which, given the country's location, has practically grounded its economy. The country's main port of al Hodeidahis under Houthi's control and its functioning – once crucial in providing all kind of goods to 80 percent of the country – is way below normal with the immediate result of a hike in basic goods prices. A possible Saudi-led military operation to retake control of the port is on the table, but it could result tremendosuly costly in terms of civilians deaths. The UN has warned of an imminent tragedy in case of fighting involving the port ant the adjacent city where 400,000 people live. "The Houthis will do whatever they can in order to defend the al Hudaydah port," says Luca Nevola, research associate at the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies. "They know that the port is the only source of whatever goods they need in order to survive, without al Hodeidahthe Houthis will be in great difficulty." Saudis have recently renewed their intention to attack the port in order to prevent smuggled weapons to reach the Houthis. The coalition stated that they will open alternative routes, through the ports they control in the south. Even if the US are fighting alongside Saudi Arabia, they are not expected to take part in an eventual operation to attack the port. Yemen will most likely be on the table during the discussions that US President Donald Trump will have with the Saudi government during his visit, scheduled for May 19. 'Weapons' will also play a role in Trump's visit; A senior White House official told Reuters that the two countries are rushing to close a series of arm deals worth $100 billion. Despite disagreement over the al Hodeidah port eventual attack, it does not seem that US support for Saudi Arabia's role in Yemen's war is not in doubt. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Cholera epidemic has killed 180 in Yemen: ICRC

Amnesty International today accused the Saudi-led Arab coalition battling rebels in Yemen of using banned cluster munitions in raids on residential areas.

The Brazilian-manufactured munitions were fired in a February 15 attack on three residential districts and agricultural land in Saada province of northern Yemen, a stronghold of the Shiite Huthi rebels, it said in a statement.

Two people were wounded in the attack, said Amnesty, which has also reported that the coalition used cluster munitions in October 2015 and May of last year.

The coalition &quot;absurdly justifies its use of cluster munitions by claiming it is in line with international law, despite concrete evidence of the human cost to civilians caught up in the conflict&quot;, said Lynn Maalouf, research director at Amnesty&#39;s Beirut regional office.

&quot;Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that inflict unimaginable harm on civilian lives,&quot; she said. 
Amnesty called for Brazil &quot;to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions and for Saudi Arabia and coalition members to stop all use of cluster munition&quot;.

Separately, Human Rights Watch in December accused the coalition of firing Brazilian-made rockets containing the outlawed munitions near two schools in Saada, killing two civilians and wounding six including a child.

The December 6 came a day after Saudi Arabia joined the US and Brazil in abstaining from a UN General Assembly vote that overwhelmingly endorsed an international ban on cluster bomb use.

The weapons can contain dozens of smaller bomblets that disperse over large areas, often continuing to kill and maim civilians long after they are dropped.

The Saudi-led coalition, which has come under repeated criticism over civilian casualties in Yemen, acknowledged in December it had made &quot;limited use&quot; of British-made cluster bombs but said it had stopped using them.

The conflict in Yemen has left more than 7,400 dead and 40,000 wounded since the coalition intervened on the government&#39;s side in March 2015, according to the UN.

(AFP)

'Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that inflict unimaginable harm on civilian lives,' said Amnesty's research director

Amnesty International today accused the Saudi-led Arab coalition battling rebels in Yemen of using banned cluster munitions in raids on residential areas. The Brazilian-manufactured munitions were fired in a February 15 attack on three residential districts and agricultural land in Saada province of northern Yemen, a stronghold of the Shiite Huthi rebels, it said in a statement. Two people were wounded in the attack, said Amnesty, which has also reported that the coalition used cluster munitions in October 2015 and May of last year. The coalition "absurdly justifies its use of cluster munitions by claiming it is in line with international law, despite concrete evidence of the human cost to civilians caught up in the conflict", said Lynn Maalouf, research director at Amnesty's Beirut regional office. "Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that inflict unimaginable harm on civilian lives," she said. Amnesty called for Brazil "to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions and for Saudi Arabia and coalition members to stop all use of cluster munition". Separately, Human Rights Watch in December accused the coalition of firing Brazilian-made rockets containing the outlawed munitions near two schools in Saada, killing two civilians and wounding six including a child. The December 6 came a day after Saudi Arabia joined the US and Brazil in abstaining from a UN General Assembly vote that overwhelmingly endorsed an international ban on cluster bomb use. The weapons can contain dozens of smaller bomblets that disperse over large areas, often continuing to kill and maim civilians long after they are dropped. The Saudi-led coalition, which has come under repeated criticism over civilian casualties in Yemen, acknowledged in December it had made "limited use" of British-made cluster bombs but said it had stopped using them. The conflict in Yemen has left more than 7,400 dead and 40,000 wounded since the coalition intervened on the government's side in March 2015, according to the UN. (AFP)

Saudi-led coalition used cluster bombs in Yemen: Amnesty

The United Nations aid chief warned that Yemen was sliding deeper into humanitarian crisis and could face famine this year.

The poor Arab country has been engulfed in war since a Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign in March 2015 to push back Iran-backed Houthi rebels who had seized the capital Sanaa and other cities.

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&quot;The conflict in Yemen is now the primary driver of the largest food security emergency in the world,&quot; Stephen O&#39;Brien, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council yesterday.

&quot;If there is no immediate action, famine is now a possible scenario for 2017.&quot;

About 14 million people -- nearly 80 per cent of the entire Yemeni population -- are in need of food aid, half of whom are severely food insecure, O&#39;Brien said.

At least 2 million people need emergency food assistance to survive, he added.

The situation is particularly dire for children with some 2.2 million infants now suffering from acute malnourishment -- an increase of 53 per cent from late 2015.

&quot;Overall, the plight of children remains grim: a child under the age of 10 dying every 10 minutes of preventable causes,&quot; O&#39;Brien said.

The Saudi-led coalition&#39;s shutdown of the Sanaa airport has had a heavy toll on civilians because medicine cannot be flown in and Yemenis cannot receive treatment abroad.

O&#39;Brien warned that Yemen could run out of wheat within months because foreign banks no longer accept financial transactions with many of the country&#39;s commercial banks.

The country is almost entirely dependent on imports, most of which transit through the Hudaydah port, which was bombed by the coalition in 2015.

O&#39;Brien said the Saudi-led coalition had ordered a vessel carrying four mobile cranes for the port to leave Yemeni waters and it was now awaiting approval from Riyadh to deliver the new equipment.

The cranes will boost the port&#39;s capacity to handle humanitarian cargo.

The United Nations is calling for a ceasefire in Yemen to allow urgently needed deliveries of humanitarian aid and to resume political talks on ending the war.

About 10,000 civilians have died in the war, according to UN officials.

Returning from talks in the region, UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed took a swipe at Yemen&#39;s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi for rejecting his peace proposals.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

The country has been engulfed in war since March 2015

The United Nations aid chief warned that Yemen was sliding deeper into humanitarian crisis and could face famine this year. The poor Arab country has been engulfed in war since a Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign in March 2015 to push back Iran-backed Houthi rebels who had seized the capital Sanaa and other cities. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs told the Security Council that nearly 80% of the population is in need of food aid × "The conflict in Yemen is now the primary driver of the largest food security emergency in the world," Stephen O'Brien, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council yesterday. "If there is no immediate action, famine is now a possible scenario for 2017." About 14 million people -- nearly 80 per cent of the entire Yemeni population -- are in need of food aid, half of whom are severely food insecure, O'Brien said. At least 2 million people need emergency food assistance to survive, he added. The situation is particularly dire for children with some 2.2 million infants now suffering from acute malnourishment -- an increase of 53 per cent from late 2015. "Overall, the plight of children remains grim: a child under the age of 10 dying every 10 minutes of preventable causes," O'Brien said. The Saudi-led coalition's shutdown of the Sanaa airport has had a heavy toll on civilians because medicine cannot be flown in and Yemenis cannot receive treatment abroad. O'Brien warned that Yemen could run out of wheat within months because foreign banks no longer accept financial transactions with many of the country's commercial banks. The country is almost entirely dependent on imports, most of which transit through the Hudaydah port, which was bombed by the coalition in 2015. O'Brien said the Saudi-led coalition had ordered a vessel carrying four mobile cranes for the port to leave Yemeni waters and it was now awaiting approval from Riyadh to deliver the new equipment. The cranes will boost the port's capacity to handle humanitarian cargo. The United Nations is calling for a ceasefire in Yemen to allow urgently needed deliveries of humanitarian aid and to resume political talks on ending the war. About 10,000 civilians have died in the war, according to UN officials. Returning from talks in the region, UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed took a swipe at Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi for rejecting his peace proposals. (AFP)

UN: Yemen could face famine in 2017

The United States has decided to limit military support to Saudi Arabia&#39;s campaign in Yemen because of concerns over widespread civilian casualties and will halt a planned arms sale to the kingdom, US&nbsp;officials told Reuters.

The United States will also revamp future training of the kingdom&#39;s air force to focus on improving Saudi targeting practices, a persistent source of concern for Washington.

The decision reflects deep frustration within President Barack Obama&#39;s government over Saudi Arabia&#39;s practices in Yemen&#39;s 20-month-old war, which has killed more than 10,000 people and sparked humanitarian crises, including chronic food shortages, in the poorest country in the Middle East.

It could also further strain ties between Washington and Riyadh in the remaining days of Obama&#39;s administration and put the question of Saudi-US&nbsp;relations squarely before the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January&nbsp;20.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen&#39;s civil war in March 2015 and has launched thousands of air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthi movement.

Rights groups say attacks on clinics, schools, markets and factories may amount to war crimes. Saudi Arabia has either denied the attacks or cited the presence of fighters in the targeted areas and has said it has tried to reduce civilian casualties.

An Obama administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said &quot;systemic, endemic&quot; problems in Saudi Arabia&#39;s targeting drove the US&nbsp;decision to halt a future weapons sale involving precision-guided munitions.

&quot;We&#39;ve decided not to move forward with some foreign military sales cases for air-dropped munitions, PGMs (precision-guided munitions),&quot; the official said.

&quot;That&#39;s obviously a direct reflection of the concerns that we have about Saudi strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties,&quot; the official said. A second official confirmed the decision to suspend the sale of certain weaponry.

The officials declined to offer details. But a specific case put on hold appeared to involve the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of guidance systems manufactured by Raytheon Co that convert dumb bombs into precision-guided munitions that can more accurately hit their targets.

At the same time, the United States has decided to increase efforts to address long-standing Saudi concerns by focusing more on border security, the official said. The kingdom has been subject to cross-border attacks by the Iran-allied Houthis.

&quot;They&rsquo;ve made a very strong request for greater intelligence sharing and more support for their border,&quot; the official said.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi embassy officials.

The White House launched a review of US&nbsp;assistance for the Saudi-led coalition after planes struck mourners at a funeral in the capital, Sanaa, in October, killing 140 people, according to one UN&nbsp;estimate.

The United Nations human rights office said in August that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for roughly 60 per cent of the 3,800 civilians killed since March 2015.

Human rights groups have criticized the United States for supporting the Saudi war effort by selling the kingdom arms and refueling coalition jets. The United States says it has not vetted or selected Saudi targets in Yemen.

The Obama administration official said the United States would not halt refueling of the Saudi-led coalition planes.

&quot;For now that&#39;s not going to be touched. Again, the review could continue and people could make a different decision in the coming weeks,&quot; the official said.

&nbsp;

Smart versus dumb bombs

The decision to suspend the arms sale to the Saudis marks a reversal for the administration. Officials have long argued that supplying so-called &quot;smart weapons&quot; helped in reducing civilian casualties.

Last year, the Obama administration even had the US&nbsp;military send precision-guided munitions from its own stocks to replenish dwindling Saudi-led coalition supplies, a source close to the Saudi government has said.

But that argument ultimately failed to convince the Obama administration during its review, which the first official said was still ongoing.

&quot;It&#39;s not a matter of how smart or dumb the bombs are, it&#39;s that they&#39;re not picking the right targets. The case in point...is the one on the funeral,&quot; the official said.

The airstrikes on the funeral took place after the Saudi-led coalition received incorrect information from Yemeni military figures that armed Houthi leaders were in the area, an investigative body set up by the coalition said in October.

In an effort to reduce civilian casualties, the United States gave the Saudis detailed lists of sites to avoid bombing, Reuters has previously reported. But jets in the Saudi-led coalition have hit at least one target on that list.

&nbsp;

US still selling helicopters

Earlier this year, the US&nbsp;military reduced the number of US&nbsp;military personnel coordinating with the Saudi-led coalition&#39;s air campaign, slashing it to six people from a peak of 45 personnel.

&quot;Their responsibilities are being adjusted and limited so that they are less enmeshed in some of the offensive operations in Yemen,&quot; the official said.

Reuters reported earlier this year on concerns by some US&nbsp;officials that the United States could be implicated in possible Saudi violations of the laws of war.

In the view of some officials, US&nbsp;refueling and logistical support of Riyadh&#39;s air force - even more than the arms sales - risked making the United States a party to the Yemen conflict under international law.

In May, Washington suspended sales to Riyadh of cluster munitions, which release dozens of bomblets and are considered particularly dangerous to civilians.

Last week, the State Department announced plans to sell Saudi Arabia CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopters and related equipment, training and support worth $3.51 billion. US&nbsp;officials said the weaponry would help Saudi defend its border, not conduct offensive operations in Yemen.

(Reuters)

The decision reflects deep frustration within President Barack Obama's government over Saudi Arabia's practices in Yemen's 20-month-old war

The United States has decided to limit military support to Saudi Arabia's campaign in Yemen because of concerns over widespread civilian casualties and will halt a planned arms sale to the kingdom, US officials told Reuters. The United States will also revamp future training of the kingdom's air force to focus on improving Saudi targeting practices, a persistent source of concern for Washington. The decision reflects deep frustration within President Barack Obama's government over Saudi Arabia's practices in Yemen's 20-month-old war, which has killed more than 10,000 people and sparked humanitarian crises, including chronic food shortages, in the poorest country in the Middle East. It could also further strain ties between Washington and Riyadh in the remaining days of Obama's administration and put the question of Saudi-US relations squarely before the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 and has launched thousands of air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthi movement. Rights groups say attacks on clinics, schools, markets and factories may amount to war crimes. Saudi Arabia has either denied the attacks or cited the presence of fighters in the targeted areas and has said it has tried to reduce civilian casualties. An Obama administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said "systemic, endemic" problems in Saudi Arabia's targeting drove the US decision to halt a future weapons sale involving precision-guided munitions. "We've decided not to move forward with some foreign military sales cases for air-dropped munitions, PGMs (precision-guided munitions)," the official said. "That's obviously a direct reflection of the concerns that we have about Saudi strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties," the official said. A second official confirmed the decision to suspend the sale of certain weaponry. The officials declined to offer details. But a specific case put on hold appeared to involve the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of guidance systems manufactured by Raytheon Co that convert dumb bombs into precision-guided munitions that can more accurately hit their targets. At the same time, the United States has decided to increase efforts to address long-standing Saudi concerns by focusing more on border security, the official said. The kingdom has been subject to cross-border attacks by the Iran-allied Houthis. "They’ve made a very strong request for greater intelligence sharing and more support for their border," the official said. There was no immediate comment from Saudi embassy officials. The White House launched a review of US assistance for the Saudi-led coalition after planes struck mourners at a funeral in the capital, Sanaa, in October, killing 140 people, according to one UN estimate. The United Nations human rights office said in August that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for roughly 60 per cent of the 3,800 civilians killed since March 2015. Human rights groups have criticized the United States for supporting the Saudi war effort by selling the kingdom arms and refueling coalition jets. The United States says it has not vetted or selected Saudi targets in Yemen. The Obama administration official said the United States would not halt refueling of the Saudi-led coalition planes. "For now that's not going to be touched. Again, the review could continue and people could make a different decision in the coming weeks," the official said. Smart versus dumb bombs The decision to suspend the arms sale to the Saudis marks a reversal for the administration. Officials have long argued that supplying so-called "smart weapons" helped in reducing civilian casualties. Last year, the Obama administration even had the US military send precision-guided munitions from its own stocks to replenish dwindling Saudi-led coalition supplies, a source close to the Saudi government has said. But that argument ultimately failed to convince the Obama administration during its review, which the first official said was still ongoing. "It's not a matter of how smart or dumb the bombs are, it's that they're not picking the right targets. The case in point...is the one on the funeral," the official said. The airstrikes on the funeral took place after the Saudi-led coalition received incorrect information from Yemeni military figures that armed Houthi leaders were in the area, an investigative body set up by the coalition said in October. In an effort to reduce civilian casualties, the United States gave the Saudis detailed lists of sites to avoid bombing, Reuters has previously reported. But jets in the Saudi-led coalition have hit at least one target on that list. US still selling helicopters Earlier this year, the US military reduced the number of US military personnel coordinating with the Saudi-led coalition's air campaign, slashing it to six people from a peak of 45 personnel. "Their responsibilities are being adjusted and limited so that they are less enmeshed in some of the offensive operations in Yemen," the official said. Reuters reported earlier this year on concerns by some US officials that the United States could be implicated in possible Saudi violations of the laws of war. In the view of some officials, US refueling and logistical support of Riyadh's air force - even more than the arms sales - risked making the United States a party to the Yemen conflict under international law. In May, Washington suspended sales to Riyadh of cluster munitions, which release dozens of bomblets and are considered particularly dangerous to civilians. Last week, the State Department announced plans to sell Saudi Arabia CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopters and related equipment, training and support worth $3.51 billion. US officials said the weaponry would help Saudi defend its border, not conduct offensive operations in Yemen. (Reuters)

US to limit military support to Saudi, citing civilian deaths in Yemen campaign

The Saudi-led coalition carried out a deadly &quot;double-tap&quot; air strike on a funeral ceremony in Yemen this month in violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law, a UN panel of experts concluded.

The experts told the UN Security Council in a report obtained by AFP on Thursday that it continues to investigate whether the second air strike directly harmed medical personnel in what could amount to war crimes.

More than 140 people were killed and 525 injured in the air strike on October 8 on a community hall packed with 750 mourners attending the funeral of the rebel Huthi interior minister&#39;s father.

&quot;The panel has not seen any demonstrable evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition took effective and adequate precautionary measures to minimize civilian casualties in respect of the two air strikes so far confirmed,&quot; said the report sent to the council on Monday.

&quot;In contrast, there is evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition violated its obligations relating to the protection of the wounded and persons hors de combat in its second air strike.&quot;

Those killed in the bombing included the head of the Huthi Republican Guard, the mayor of Sanaa, a prominent member of the Huthi military council, two commanders and a former governor.

Yemen&#39;s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son attended the funeral, but left before the attack, the report said.

The experts found that the timing between the two strikes indicated the &quot;deliberate use of the &#39;double tap&#39; tactic, the consequences of which are that individuals responding to the first explosion are caught by the second.&quot;

The attack resulted in &quot;disproportionately higher numbers of civilian casualties, when compared to military casualties, and that this could have been anticipated prior to the attack,&quot; the report added.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition announced a ceasefire after the attack on the funeral ceremony triggered global outrage and prompted the United States to review its support of the air war in Yemen.

The coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels overran much of the impoverished country.

Nearly 6,900 people have been killed -- more than half of them civilians -- in the conflict, while another three million are displaced and some 70 percent of the population needs food aid.

The panel said it was waiting for a response from the coalition&#39;s head of investigation concerning its findings.

(AFP)

A UN panel of experts concluded that the timing between the two strikes indicates the deliberate use of the 'double tap tactic'

The Saudi-led coalition carried out a deadly "double-tap" air strike on a funeral ceremony in Yemen this month in violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law, a UN panel of experts concluded. The experts told the UN Security Council in a report obtained by AFP on Thursday that it continues to investigate whether the second air strike directly harmed medical personnel in what could amount to war crimes. More than 140 people were killed and 525 injured in the air strike on October 8 on a community hall packed with 750 mourners attending the funeral of the rebel Huthi interior minister's father. "The panel has not seen any demonstrable evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition took effective and adequate precautionary measures to minimize civilian casualties in respect of the two air strikes so far confirmed," said the report sent to the council on Monday. "In contrast, there is evidence to suggest that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition violated its obligations relating to the protection of the wounded and persons hors de combat in its second air strike." Those killed in the bombing included the head of the Huthi Republican Guard, the mayor of Sanaa, a prominent member of the Huthi military council, two commanders and a former governor. Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son attended the funeral, but left before the attack, the report said. The experts found that the timing between the two strikes indicated the "deliberate use of the 'double tap' tactic, the consequences of which are that individuals responding to the first explosion are caught by the second." The attack resulted in "disproportionately higher numbers of civilian casualties, when compared to military casualties, and that this could have been anticipated prior to the attack," the report added. The Saudi-led Arab coalition announced a ceasefire after the attack on the funeral ceremony triggered global outrage and prompted the United States to review its support of the air war in Yemen. The coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels overran much of the impoverished country. Nearly 6,900 people have been killed -- more than half of them civilians -- in the conflict, while another three million are displaced and some 70 percent of the population needs food aid. The panel said it was waiting for a response from the coalition's head of investigation concerning its findings. (AFP)

Saudi-led coalition deliberately planned strike on Yemen funeral: UN

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels of stepping up their attacks Thursday and of putting in danger a day-old UN-mandated ceasefire.

Jubeir told reporters in Washington that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to defend itself from further the Houthi attacks, but stopped short of declaring the truce a failure.

&quot;As of this morning Washington time there had been more than 150 violations by the Huthi-Saleh side,&quot; Jubeir said, referring to the rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Sitting with US Secretary of State John Kerry after talks at the State Department, Jubeir called the alleged Huthi attacks an &quot;escalation in the violence, rather than a reduction.&quot;

And he accused the Huthis of launching a missile across the border into Saudi territory and killing a man and his daughter.

Kerry condemned the cross-border attack, but was keen to insist that his guest confirm that the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen still intends to respect the ceasefire.

&quot;If I can just interrupt,&quot; Kerry interjected as Jubeir finished his remarks.

&quot;It is clear that Saudi Arabia is still committed to the ceasefire and as far as you&#39;re concerned the ceasefire is still in effect. Is that correct?&quot;

Jubeir responded that the kingdom has indicated that it supports Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi&#39;s call for a truce.

&quot;The coalition countries are abiding by this,&quot; he said.

&quot;But I want to emphasize that we have a right to defend ourselves, we have a right to protect our borders, we have a right to protect our citizens and we have to ensure that the other side maintains its commitment to the cessation of hostilities.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said more than 150 ceasefire violations had taken place

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of stepping up their attacks Thursday and of putting in danger a day-old UN-mandated ceasefire. Jubeir told reporters in Washington that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to defend itself from further the Houthi attacks, but stopped short of declaring the truce a failure. "As of this morning Washington time there had been more than 150 violations by the Huthi-Saleh side," Jubeir said, referring to the rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Sitting with US Secretary of State John Kerry after talks at the State Department, Jubeir called the alleged Huthi attacks an "escalation in the violence, rather than a reduction." And he accused the Huthis of launching a missile across the border into Saudi territory and killing a man and his daughter. Kerry condemned the cross-border attack, but was keen to insist that his guest confirm that the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen still intends to respect the ceasefire. "If I can just interrupt," Kerry interjected as Jubeir finished his remarks. "It is clear that Saudi Arabia is still committed to the ceasefire and as far as you're concerned the ceasefire is still in effect. Is that correct?" Jubeir responded that the kingdom has indicated that it supports Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's call for a truce. "The coalition countries are abiding by this," he said. "But I want to emphasize that we have a right to defend ourselves, we have a right to protect our borders, we have a right to protect our citizens and we have to ensure that the other side maintains its commitment to the cessation of hostilities." (AFP)

Saudi Arabia accuses Yemen rebels of breaching ceasefire

A US&nbsp;Navy&nbsp;guided missile destroyer was targeted on Sunday in a failed missile attack from territory in Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, a US&nbsp;military spokesman told Reuters, saying neither of the two missiles hit the ship.

The attempted strike on the USS Mason, which was first reported by Reuters, came just a week after a United Arab Emirates vessel came under attack from Houthis, and suggests growing risks to the US&nbsp;military from Yemen&#39;s conflict.

The US&nbsp;government, which has become increasingly vocal about civilian casualties in the war, this weekend announced a review of its support to a Saudi Arabia-led coalition battling the Houthis, after a strike on mourners in the capital Sanaa that killed up to 140 people.&nbsp;The failed missile attack on the USS Mason began around 7 pm&nbsp;local time, when the ship detected two inbound missiles over a 60-minute period in the Red Sea off Yemen&#39;s coast, the US&nbsp;military said.

&quot;Both missiles impacted the water before reaching the ship,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said. &quot;There were no injuries to our sailors and no damage to the ship.&quot;

Saudi Arabia and the United States blame Shi&#39;ite Iran for supplying weapons to the Houthis. Tehran views the Houthis, who are from a Shi&#39;ite sect, as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons.

A US&nbsp;defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the first missile triggered counter-measures from the USS Mason. It was not immediately clear whether those defenses may have helped prevent a direct hit on the ship.&nbsp;The USS Mason did not return fire, the official said, adding that the incident took place just north of the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen&#39;s southern coast.

Last week&#39;s attack on the UAE vessel also took place around the Bab al-Mandab strait, in what the UAE branded an &quot;act of terrorism&quot;.&nbsp;In 2013, more than 3.4 million barrels of oil passed through the 20 kilometre&nbsp;(12 mile)-wide Bab al-Mandab each day, the US&nbsp;Energy Information Administration says.

It was unclear what actions the US&nbsp;military might take, but Davis stressed a commitment to defend freedom of navigation and protect US&nbsp;forces.&nbsp;&quot;We will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our ships and our service members,&quot; he said.

The attack also came the same day that Yemen&#39;s powerful former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key Houthi ally, called for an escalation of attacks against Saudi Arabia, demanding &quot;battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border&quot;.

An estimated 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen&#39;s war. The United Nations blames Saudi-led coalition strikes for 60 per cent of some 3,800 civilian deaths since they began in March 2015.

(Reuters)

It was unclear how the US?military might respond, but it stressed commitment to defend its freedom of navigation and protect its?forces

A US Navy guided missile destroyer was targeted on Sunday in a failed missile attack from territory in Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, a US military spokesman told Reuters, saying neither of the two missiles hit the ship. The attempted strike on the USS Mason, which was first reported by Reuters, came just a week after a United Arab Emirates vessel came under attack from Houthis, and suggests growing risks to the US military from Yemen's conflict. The US government, which has become increasingly vocal about civilian casualties in the war, this weekend announced a review of its support to a Saudi Arabia-led coalition battling the Houthis, after a strike on mourners in the capital Sanaa that killed up to 140 people. The failed missile attack on the USS Mason began around 7 pm local time, when the ship detected two inbound missiles over a 60-minute period in the Red Sea off Yemen's coast, the US military said. "Both missiles impacted the water before reaching the ship," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said. "There were no injuries to our sailors and no damage to the ship." Saudi Arabia and the United States blame Shi'ite Iran for supplying weapons to the Houthis. Tehran views the Houthis, who are from a Shi'ite sect, as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons. A US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the first missile triggered counter-measures from the USS Mason. It was not immediately clear whether those defenses may have helped prevent a direct hit on the ship. The USS Mason did not return fire, the official said, adding that the incident took place just north of the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen's southern coast. Last week's attack on the UAE vessel also took place around the Bab al-Mandab strait, in what the UAE branded an "act of terrorism". In 2013, more than 3.4 million barrels of oil passed through the 20 kilometre (12 mile)-wide Bab al-Mandab each day, the US Energy Information Administration says. It was unclear what actions the US military might take, but Davis stressed a commitment to defend freedom of navigation and protect US forces. "We will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our ships and our service members," he said. The attack also came the same day that Yemen's powerful former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key Houthi ally, called for an escalation of attacks against Saudi Arabia, demanding "battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border". An estimated 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen's war. The United Nations blames Saudi-led coalition strikes for 60 per cent of some 3,800 civilian deaths since they began in March 2015. (Reuters)

Navy ship targeted in failed missile attack from Yemen: US

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Houthi rebels, called for an advance against Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Saleh spoke a day after an air strike on a funeral ceremony killed more than 140 people in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

&quot;I call upon all the sons of this nation ... to face this aggression with all their strength and you must proceed to the battlefronts,&quot; Saleh said in a televised speech, Reuters reported. &quot;The defence ministry, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the interior ministry must put in place the necessary measures for battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border.&quot;

Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday&#39;s attack that killed and wounded hundreds. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the incident.

&quot;The coalition will immediately investigate this case along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team in Yemen and experts from the United States who participated in previous investigations,&quot; it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, reported AFP.

&quot;The coalition is also willing to provide the investigation team with any data and information related to its military operations today, at the incident`s location and the surrounding areas,&quot; it said. &quot;The result of the investigation should be announced as soon as it&#39;s completed.&quot;

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding the perpetrators face justice.

&quot;The Secretary-General condemns the attack on an event hall,&quot; said a statement from Ban&#39;s office. &quot;Any deliberate attack against civilians is utterly unacceptable.&quot;

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were &quot;shocked and outraged&quot; by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered, AFP reported. He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected.

White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the US has &#39; initiated an immediate review of our already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led coalition and are prepared to adjust our support so as to better align with US principles, values and interests, including achieving an immediate and durable end to Yemen`s tragic conflict.&#39;

Price called on all sides to implement an immediate ceasefire. &quot;US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check,&quot; he stressed.

The rebel-controlled news site sabanews.net said that the coalition jets hit a building in southern Sana&#39;a where hundreds were mourning the death of the father of an influential local official. Saturday&rsquo;s strike was one of the deadliest attacks since the bombing campaign began in support of Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The airstrikes have come in at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The Arab coalition has denied any responsibility for the attack even as the US initiated a review of its support to the group

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Houthi rebels, called for an advance against Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Saleh spoke a day after an air strike on a funeral ceremony killed more than 140 people in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. "I call upon all the sons of this nation ... to face this aggression with all their strength and you must proceed to the battlefronts," Saleh said in a televised speech, Reuters reported. "The defence ministry, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the interior ministry must put in place the necessary measures for battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border." Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday's attack that killed and wounded hundreds. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the incident. "The coalition will immediately investigate this case along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team in Yemen and experts from the United States who participated in previous investigations," it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, reported AFP. "The coalition is also willing to provide the investigation team with any data and information related to its military operations today, at the incident`s location and the surrounding areas," it said. "The result of the investigation should be announced as soon as it's completed." UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding the perpetrators face justice. "The Secretary-General condemns the attack on an event hall," said a statement from Ban's office. "Any deliberate attack against civilians is utterly unacceptable." The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were "shocked and outraged" by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered, AFP reported. He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected. White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the US has ' initiated an immediate review of our already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led coalition and are prepared to adjust our support so as to better align with US principles, values and interests, including achieving an immediate and durable end to Yemen`s tragic conflict.' Price called on all sides to implement an immediate ceasefire. "US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check," he stressed. The rebel-controlled news site sabanews.net said that the coalition jets hit a building in southern Sana'a where hundreds were mourning the death of the father of an influential local official. Saturday’s strike was one of the deadliest attacks since the bombing campaign began in support of Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. The airstrikes have come in at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Former Yemeni president urges action against Saudi Arabia to avenge funeral air strike

War-torn Yemen is suffering from a cholera outbreak, the UN&#39;s children agency and the World Health Organization said Friday, posing a further threat to infants in the impoverished nation.&nbsp;

&quot;This outbreak adds to the misery of millions of children in Yemen,&quot; UNICEF Yemen representative Julien Harneis said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;Children are at a particularly high risk if the current cholera outbreak is not urgently contained especially since the health system in Yemen is crumbling as the conflict continues.&quot;

The WHO, citing Yemeni health ministry figures, said that eight cholera cases mostly involving children had been recorded in one neighbourhood of the rebel-held capital Sana&#39;a.

They were being treated for extreme dehydration in an isolated section of the capital&#39;s Al-Sabiine hospital, it said.

The WHO said the scarcity of drinkable water has worsened the hygiene situation in Yemen, fuelling a marked increase in cases of severe diarrhoea, in particular among people displaced from their homes in the centre of the country.

UNICEF said health professionals in Sanaa had reported several cases, as had medics in Taez, Yemen&#39;s third largest city.&nbsp;

It said its team was working with doctors in Yemen to establish the cause of the outbreak and called on international donors to provide funding to work to improve the health situation there.&nbsp;

UNICEF said that cholera, a disease that is transmitted through contaminated drinking water and causes acute diarrhoea, could prove fatal in up to 15 per cent of untreated cases.

The agency says nearly three million people in Yemen are in need of immediate food supplies, while 1.5 million children suffer malnutrition, including 370,000 enduring very severe malnutrition that weakens their immune system.

The conflict between Yemen&#39;s government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels escalated last year with the intervention of a Saudi-led Arab coalition in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The UN says more than 6,700 people have been killed and more than three million displaced by fighting in Yemen since March 2015, when the coalition launched its campaign.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

WHO, citing Yemeni health ministry figures, said eight cholera cases mostly involving children have been recorded in capital city of Sanaa

War-torn Yemen is suffering from a cholera outbreak, the UN's children agency and the World Health Organization said Friday, posing a further threat to infants in the impoverished nation. "This outbreak adds to the misery of millions of children in Yemen," UNICEF Yemen representative Julien Harneis said in a statement. "Children are at a particularly high risk if the current cholera outbreak is not urgently contained especially since the health system in Yemen is crumbling as the conflict continues." The WHO, citing Yemeni health ministry figures, said that eight cholera cases mostly involving children had been recorded in one neighbourhood of the rebel-held capital Sana'a. They were being treated for extreme dehydration in an isolated section of the capital's Al-Sabiine hospital, it said. The WHO said the scarcity of drinkable water has worsened the hygiene situation in Yemen, fuelling a marked increase in cases of severe diarrhoea, in particular among people displaced from their homes in the centre of the country. UNICEF said health professionals in Sanaa had reported several cases, as had medics in Taez, Yemen's third largest city. It said its team was working with doctors in Yemen to establish the cause of the outbreak and called on international donors to provide funding to work to improve the health situation there. UNICEF said that cholera, a disease that is transmitted through contaminated drinking water and causes acute diarrhoea, could prove fatal in up to 15 per cent of untreated cases. The agency says nearly three million people in Yemen are in need of immediate food supplies, while 1.5 million children suffer malnutrition, including 370,000 enduring very severe malnutrition that weakens their immune system. The conflict between Yemen's government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels escalated last year with the intervention of a Saudi-led Arab coalition in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. The UN says more than 6,700 people have been killed and more than three million displaced by fighting in Yemen since March 2015, when the coalition launched its campaign. (AFP)

Children at risk as cholera grips war-torn Yemen: UN

At least nine people were killed in an Arab coalition air strike on the rebel-held Yemeni city of Ibb on Saturday. 
 
&quot;Nine civilians were killed, and another nine were wounded, treated and discharged from the hospital,&quot; Abdul Malik Al-Sanani, the manager of the city&#39;s al-Thawra Hospital, told Reuters. The dead included a family of three children and their parents. 
 
The Houthi group had siezed Ibb in 2014. 
&nbsp; 
The Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis began in March last year. The coalition has repeatedly said it does not target civilians. 
 
&quot;There is no military, no security, no government and nor even rebels&#39; establishment here...here only poor residents,&quot; resident Mohamed Kasim spoke to Xinhua by phone. 
 
A coalition air strike on the Houthi-held Yemeni port city of Hodeidah killed 26 civilians on Wednesday. 
 
Since the Saudi-led war against the Houthis, more than 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians. 
 
The fight in Yemen is between those loyal to&nbsp;President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and Houthis, who forced Hadi to escape the Yemeni capital Sanaa.&nbsp; 
 
The Saudi-led coalition has supported President Hadi in his battle against the Houthis. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Although Saudi has vowed not to attack Yemeni citizens, its attacks have killed around 3,000 of them since 2015

At least nine people were killed in an Arab coalition air strike on the rebel-held Yemeni city of Ibb on Saturday. "Nine civilians were killed, and another nine were wounded, treated and discharged from the hospital," Abdul Malik Al-Sanani, the manager of the city's al-Thawra Hospital, told Reuters. The dead included a family of three children and their parents. The Houthi group had siezed Ibb in 2014. The Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis began in March last year. The coalition has repeatedly said it does not target civilians. "There is no military, no security, no government and nor even rebels' establishment here...here only poor residents," resident Mohamed Kasim spoke to Xinhua by phone. A coalition air strike on the Houthi-held Yemeni port city of Hodeidah killed 26 civilians on Wednesday. Since the Saudi-led war against the Houthis, more than 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians. The fight in Yemen is between those loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and Houthis, who forced Hadi to escape the Yemeni capital Sanaa. The Saudi-led coalition has supported President Hadi in his battle against the Houthis. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Arab coalition air strikes kill nine in Yemeni city of Ibb

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