The United Nations warned Tuesday that Yemen was on the verge of widespread famine.&nbsp;

"There is now a clear and present danger of an imminent and great big famine engulfing Yemen," UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said.

He urged a humanitarian ceasefire around facilities involved in food aid distribution, and infrastructure, at a meeting of the Security Council convened on the British initiative because of the deterioration in Yemen.

"The parties to the conflict continue to violate international humanitarian law," and while earlier UN estimates put those in danger of famine at 11 million, the real number facing it now is 14 million people.

Since the last UN warning in September, "the situation (on the ground) has gotten worse," Emergency Relief Coordinator Lowcock said.&nbsp;

Yemen's brutal conflict has since 2015 left some 10,000 people dead and has created what the UN has dubbed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations warned Tuesday that Yemen was on the verge of widespread famine. "There is now a clear and present danger of an imminent and great big famine engulfing Yemen," UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said.

The United Nations warned Tuesday that Yemen was on the verge of widespread famine. "There is now a clear and present danger of an imminent and great big famine engulfing Yemen," UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said. He urged a humanitarian ceasefire around facilities involved in food aid distribution, and infrastructure, at a meeting of the Security Council convened on the British initiative because of the deterioration in Yemen. "The parties to the conflict continue to violate international humanitarian law," and while earlier UN estimates put those in danger of famine at 11 million, the real number facing it now is 14 million people. Since the last UN warning in September, "the situation (on the ground) has gotten worse," Emergency Relief Coordinator Lowcock said. Yemen's brutal conflict has since 2015 left some 10,000 people dead and has created what the UN has dubbed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

UN warns of danger of widespread famine in Yemen

By Giorgio Cafiero 
 
On October 1, Iran carried out six missile strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Abu Kamal, situated in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border. Iran’s state-owned television showed one missile carrying slogans “Death to America,” “Death to Israel” and “Death to al Saud.” The bold move was officially a retaliation for the deadly attack in Ahvaz, in the Iranian Province of Khuzestan, nine days earlier, which the Iranian leadership blames on IS.&nbsp;

In addition to killing “many terrorists” in Abu Kamal, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed, the missiles also eviscerated stockpiles of the Islamic State’s ammunition and infrastructure. By firing missiles over Iraq into Syria, the Iranians delivered a powerful message to Washington at a time when the Trump administration ratchets up its aggression against the Islamic Republic.

Put simply, the message is that five months after the US withdrew from the Joint Plan of Comprehensive Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran will not change its regional conduct or cave in to pressure from the United States, Israel and certain Arab Gulf states. When it comes to Syria, Iran is set to remain in the country despite the White House’s stated goal to cause a retreat of Iranian forces and proxies. As Tehran begins conducting a more muscular and “offensive” approach in the region following America’s JCPOA decision, hardline elements within the Iranian regime — chiefly within the IRGC, which carried out the October 1 missile strikes — are being empowered.

Also, the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) October 3 ruling ordered Washington to ensure that its anti-Iran sanctions do not harm humanitarian assistance or civil aviation security. This left officials in Tehran more determined to stay their rigid course even if the ICJ lacks the teeth to enforce the ruling against the United States, which was rejected by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Other recent instances of Tehran acting confidently against perceived security menaces and asserting a stronger regional clout came on September 8 when Iran killed at least 11 people in long-range missile attacks on the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan’s headquarters in Koya, Iraq, which belongs to the Kurdistan Regional Government. During the previous month, Iranian officials stated that over the previous several months, Iran’s military had transferred several dozen short-range ballistic missiles to Tehran-sponsored Shia militias in Iraq to deter attacks against Iran’s homeland. Depending on from where in Iraq they are placed, these missiles (Zelzal, Fateh-110 and Zolfaqar) can reach both the Saudi and Israeli capitals.

Pressures within Iran

Such acts, along with the Iranian intelligence ministry’s alleged role in the foiled plot to attack a gathering by the militant Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e Khalq in France in June, illustrate how hardliners within the Islamic Republic are demonstrating more will to operate with greater autonomy from the central government, without obtaining permission before acting in the region. As the Iranian economy continues to suffer many ills, from rising unemployment and inflation to excess liquidity, as Washington’s sanctions continue to hurt the country, President Hassan Rouhani appears to find himself in a difficult political situation. That the parliament has summoned Rouhani to provide answers to questions about the country’s economic crises, and with a number of voices calling for his impeachment, the extent to which his centrist government has failed to meet the average Iranian citizen’s expectations about the economic rewards that JCPOA was to bring is clearly highlighted.

As such pressures within Iran intensify, moderate elements within the government struggle to maintain relevance in the country’s political arena. With nationalist sentiments on the rise, moderates have been prompted to align, at least to some degree, with hardliners in support of Tehran’s assertive conduct across the region. For the Iranian leadership, given the Trump administration’s rhetoric and conduct that leave many Iranians fearing a US-orchestrated regime change plot, engaging the White House at this point would be humiliating, particularly given how anti-Iranian Trump’s foreign policy has been since he entered the Oval Office.

Now with the Trump administration calling on Iran to leave Syria, and with a number of Sunni Arab states appearing set on welcoming the regime of Bashar al-Assad back from the cold, the White House, along with its Arab Gulf allies, seems optimistic about plans to accept Assad staying in power for the long term, but only with his regime putting space between itself and Iran. IRGC leaders, however, have declared that Iranian forces will remain in Syria as long as the Damascus regime demands their presence. Given how much Assad owes Iran for his survival, it is difficult to imagine the Syrian regime being in any position to push out the Iranians, who currently wield unprecedented influence over the Baathist order in Damascus.

Further Away from Diplomacy 
 
That Iran’s missiles landed within three miles of US troops in Syria on October 1 shows how grave the risks are of intense friction originating in Washington and Tehran spiralling out of control in the Middle East. With US National Security Adviser John Bolton declaring on September 24 that the US military would remain in Syria “as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders and that includes Iranian proxies and militias,” the 2,000 US troops currently in the country face a likelier possibility of a direct confrontation with Iran’s roughly 10,000 IRGC forces in Syria.

Doubtless, Syria will remain a major point of contention between the US and Iran. Even when bilateral relations were at their warmest after the signing of the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 while Barack Obama was in the White House, Washington and Tehran had serious conflicts of interest in Syria notwithstanding their mutual interest in defeating IS. The JCPOA resolved neither both sides’ opposing stakes in the Syrian crisis nor any other non-nuclear issue. Yet the nuclear deal afforded both the US and Iran the means to build on some degree of trust to work toward finding common ground on such regional issues such as Syria, along with Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan.

Without the JCPOA as a foundation, Washington and Tehran are set to address their conflicting interests in Syria on terms that move farther away from diplomatic strategies, raising serious risks of an American-Iranian war that could bring far more devastation and instability to the Middle East than the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
 
(Giorgio Cafiero is the founder and CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a geopolitical risk consultancy based in Washington, DC)

(This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/syria-iran-nuclear-deal-us-middle-east-politics-news-10891/">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 Giorgio Cafiero On October 1, Iran carried out six missile strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Abu Kamal, situated in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border.

By Giorgio Cafiero On October 1, Iran carried out six missile strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Abu Kamal, situated in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border. Iran’s state-owned television showed one missile carrying slogans “Death to America,” “Death to Israel” and “Death to al Saud.” The bold move was officially a retaliation for the deadly attack in Ahvaz, in the Iranian Province of Khuzestan, nine days earlier, which the Iranian leadership blames on IS. In addition to killing “many terrorists” in Abu Kamal, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed, the missiles also eviscerated stockpiles of the Islamic State’s ammunition and infrastructure. By firing missiles over Iraq into Syria, the Iranians delivered a powerful message to Washington at a time when the Trump administration ratchets up its aggression against the Islamic Republic. Put simply, the message is that five months after the US withdrew from the Joint Plan of Comprehensive Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran will not change its regional conduct or cave in to pressure from the United States, Israel and certain Arab Gulf states. When it comes to Syria, Iran is set to remain in the country despite the White House’s stated goal to cause a retreat of Iranian forces and proxies. As Tehran begins conducting a more muscular and “offensive” approach in the region following America’s JCPOA decision, hardline elements within the Iranian regime — chiefly within the IRGC, which carried out the October 1 missile strikes — are being empowered. Also, the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) October 3 ruling ordered Washington to ensure that its anti-Iran sanctions do not harm humanitarian assistance or civil aviation security. This left officials in Tehran more determined to stay their rigid course even if the ICJ lacks the teeth to enforce the ruling against the United States, which was rejected by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Other recent instances of Tehran acting confidently against perceived security menaces and asserting a stronger regional clout came on September 8 when Iran killed at least 11 people in long-range missile attacks on the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan’s headquarters in Koya, Iraq, which belongs to the Kurdistan Regional Government. During the previous month, Iranian officials stated that over the previous several months, Iran’s military had transferred several dozen short-range ballistic missiles to Tehran-sponsored Shia militias in Iraq to deter attacks against Iran’s homeland. Depending on from where in Iraq they are placed, these missiles (Zelzal, Fateh-110 and Zolfaqar) can reach both the Saudi and Israeli capitals. Pressures within Iran Such acts, along with the Iranian intelligence ministry’s alleged role in the foiled plot to attack a gathering by the militant Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e Khalq in France in June, illustrate how hardliners within the Islamic Republic are demonstrating more will to operate with greater autonomy from the central government, without obtaining permission before acting in the region. As the Iranian economy continues to suffer many ills, from rising unemployment and inflation to excess liquidity, as Washington’s sanctions continue to hurt the country, President Hassan Rouhani appears to find himself in a difficult political situation. That the parliament has summoned Rouhani to provide answers to questions about the country’s economic crises, and with a number of voices calling for his impeachment, the extent to which his centrist government has failed to meet the average Iranian citizen’s expectations about the economic rewards that JCPOA was to bring is clearly highlighted. As such pressures within Iran intensify, moderate elements within the government struggle to maintain relevance in the country’s political arena. With nationalist sentiments on the rise, moderates have been prompted to align, at least to some degree, with hardliners in support of Tehran’s assertive conduct across the region. For the Iranian leadership, given the Trump administration’s rhetoric and conduct that leave many Iranians fearing a US-orchestrated regime change plot, engaging the White House at this point would be humiliating, particularly given how anti-Iranian Trump’s foreign policy has been since he entered the Oval Office. Now with the Trump administration calling on Iran to leave Syria, and with a number of Sunni Arab states appearing set on welcoming the regime of Bashar al-Assad back from the cold, the White House, along with its Arab Gulf allies, seems optimistic about plans to accept Assad staying in power for the long term, but only with his regime putting space between itself and Iran. IRGC leaders, however, have declared that Iranian forces will remain in Syria as long as the Damascus regime demands their presence. Given how much Assad owes Iran for his survival, it is difficult to imagine the Syrian regime being in any position to push out the Iranians, who currently wield unprecedented influence over the Baathist order in Damascus. Further Away from Diplomacy That Iran’s missiles landed within three miles of US troops in Syria on October 1 shows how grave the risks are of intense friction originating in Washington and Tehran spiralling out of control in the Middle East. With US National Security Adviser John Bolton declaring on September 24 that the US military would remain in Syria “as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders and that includes Iranian proxies and militias,” the 2,000 US troops currently in the country face a likelier possibility of a direct confrontation with Iran’s roughly 10,000 IRGC forces in Syria. Doubtless, Syria will remain a major point of contention between the US and Iran. Even when bilateral relations were at their warmest after the signing of the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 while Barack Obama was in the White House, Washington and Tehran had serious conflicts of interest in Syria notwithstanding their mutual interest in defeating IS. The JCPOA resolved neither both sides’ opposing stakes in the Syrian crisis nor any other non-nuclear issue. Yet the nuclear deal afforded both the US and Iran the means to build on some degree of trust to work toward finding common ground on such regional issues such as Syria, along with Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan. Without the JCPOA as a foundation, Washington and Tehran are set to address their conflicting interests in Syria on terms that move farther away from diplomatic strategies, raising serious risks of an American-Iranian war that could bring far more devastation and instability to the Middle East than the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Giorgio Cafiero is the founder and CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a geopolitical risk consultancy based in Washington, DC) (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Iran delivers powerful message to US on Syria

Saudi air defences on Thursday intercepted a ballistic missile fired from rebel-held territory in neighbouring Yemen, state media reported, as a Riyadh-led military coalition pushes a major offensive to capture a strategic port.

The missile was intercepted over Khamis Mushait in the kingdom's south, but no casualties were reported, the coalition said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Iran-backed rebels claimed in a statement that the missile hit a Saudi airbase.

The insurgents, who have ramped up missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, are often known to claim successful strikes.

The kingdom, which leads a military coalition that has fought the insurgents since 2015, usually claims to intercept most missiles.

The latest strike comes as Yemeni pro-government forces are locked in heavy fighting with rebels as they press a Saudi and UAE-backed offensive to retake the key aid hub of Hodeida.

On Sunday, Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile over the southern city of Jizan, but no casualties were reported, state media said.

A day earlier, three civilians were killed in Jizan when Huthi rebels fired a "projectile" at the province, according to the coalition.

Saudi Arabia last month tested a new siren system for the capital Riyadh and the oil-rich Eastern Province, in a sign of the increasing threat posed by the rebels' arms.

Riyadh accuses its regional rival Tehran of supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles, a charge Iran denies.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other allies intervened in Yemen in 2015 to push back the rebels and restore the internationally recognised government to power after the Huthis ousted it from swathes of the country including the capital Sanaa.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the alliance intervened in Yemen in March 2015, contributing to what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis

The missile was intercepted over Khamis Mushait in the kingdom's south, but no casualties were reported

Saudi air defences on Thursday intercepted a ballistic missile fired from rebel-held territory in neighbouring Yemen, state media reported, as a Riyadh-led military coalition pushes a major offensive to capture a strategic port. The missile was intercepted over Khamis Mushait in the kingdom's south, but no casualties were reported, the coalition said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. The Iran-backed rebels claimed in a statement that the missile hit a Saudi airbase. The insurgents, who have ramped up missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, are often known to claim successful strikes. The kingdom, which leads a military coalition that has fought the insurgents since 2015, usually claims to intercept most missiles. The latest strike comes as Yemeni pro-government forces are locked in heavy fighting with rebels as they press a Saudi and UAE-backed offensive to retake the key aid hub of Hodeida. On Sunday, Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile over the southern city of Jizan, but no casualties were reported, state media said. A day earlier, three civilians were killed in Jizan when Huthi rebels fired a "projectile" at the province, according to the coalition. Saudi Arabia last month tested a new siren system for the capital Riyadh and the oil-rich Eastern Province, in a sign of the increasing threat posed by the rebels' arms. Riyadh accuses its regional rival Tehran of supplying the Huthis with ballistic missiles, a charge Iran denies. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other allies intervened in Yemen in 2015 to push back the rebels and restore the internationally recognised government to power after the Huthis ousted it from swathes of the country including the capital Sanaa. Nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the alliance intervened in Yemen in March 2015, contributing to what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis

Saudi Arabia says new Yemen missile intercepted

United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi, on Wednesday, noted that the escalating violence in Yemen could lead to a refugee exodus. He further added that the war has taken a huge toll on the civilians and will not come to an end this way.&nbsp

A Saudi-led coalition launched the largest assault of the war.

"It’s actually surprising that an exodus has not happened yet," he told Reuters. "The message is to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible."

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp

He further added that the war has taken a huge toll on the civilians

United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi, on Wednesday, noted that the escalating violence in Yemen could lead to a refugee exodus. He further added that the war has taken a huge toll on the civilians and will not come to an end this way. A Saudi-led coalition launched the largest assault of the war. "It’s actually surprising that an exodus has not happened yet," he told Reuters. "The message is to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible." (With inputs from Reuters)

UN's Grandi calls for Yemen talks, fears refugee exodus

A Saudi-led coalition geared up on Tuesday for an assault on Yemen's main port, preparing to launch by far the biggest battle of a three-year-old war between an alliance of Arab states and the Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital.

The United Arab Emirates, one of the main members of the Western-backed alliance, has set a Tuesday deadline for the Iran-aligned Houthis to withdraw from the port of Hodeidah under UN-led negotiations or face an assault.

It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government that the foreign armies have attempted to capture such a well-defended major city.

Hodeidah, Yemen's biggest port and the only port controlled by the Houthis, serves as the lifeline for the majority of Yemen's population, which lives in Houthi-ruled territory.

The United Nations said it was engaged in "intense" shuttle diplomacy between the Houthis and coalition leaders Saudi Arabia and the UAE to avert the attack.

It estimates 600,000 people live in the area, and in a worst-case scenario a battle could cost up to 250,000 lives, as well as cutting off millions from aid and supplies.

Emirati-led troops have advanced along the southwestern coast to the outskirts of Hodeidah under a coalition strategy to box in the Houthis in the capital Sanaa and choke off their supply lines to force them to the negotiating table.

Local military sources said hundreds of Yemeni fighters as well as tanks and military supplies from the UAE arrived on Monday to reinforce troops, including Emiratis and Sudanese, in al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6.21 miles) south of Hodeidah.

The sources said Yemeni forces allied to the Saudi-led coalition -- drawn from southern separatists, local units from the Red Sea coastal plain and a battalion led by a nephew of late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh -- had advanced and were "at the doors" of Hodeidah airport.

The war pits the Houthis against the Western-backed Sunni Muslim states, which intervened in 2015 to restore the exiled government and thwart what Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see as expansionist aims of their Shi'ite Muslim foe Iran.

The Houthis, with roots in a Zaidi Shi'ite minority that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in Yemen until 1962, deny they are pawns of Iran. They say they have led a popular revolution against corruption and are defending the country from invaders.

"I think the Emiratis have done a good job in presenting compelling arguments about why an operation (on Hodeidah) could, in the end, tip the balance and apply enough pressure to bring the Houthis to the table," a Western diplomat said on Monday.

"The Emiratis' preparedness is crucial in this. This is possibly what we're most concerned about."

Grace period

European donor governments warned aid groups in Yemen on Saturday that "a military assault now looks imminent," according to a message seen by Reuters. It said: "The Emiratis have informed us today that they will now give a 3-day grace period for the UN (and their partners) to leave the city."

The UAE foreign ministry and government communication office did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The United Nations relocated foreign staff members from Hodeidah on Monday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week it had pulled 71 foreign staff out of Yemen.

The renewed push on Hodeidah comes amid increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and arch-foe Iran after the United States withdrew last month from an international nuclear agreement with Tehran, a move hailed by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia's Western allies, under increasing scrutiny for selling arms to the states fighting in Yemen, have not publicly made clear whether they approve of an assault on Hodeidah.

Riyadh says the Houthis use the port to smuggle Iranian-made weapons, including missiles that have been launched at Saudi cities -- accusations denied by the group and Tehran.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has warned the group will attack oil tankers in the event of an assault on Hodeidah.

The coalition says one of the main justifications for its intervention is to protect Red Sea shipping, which brings Middle East oil and Asian goods to Europe through the Suez Canal.

It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government

A Saudi-led coalition geared up on Tuesday for an assault on Yemen's main port, preparing to launch by far the biggest battle of a three-year-old war between an alliance of Arab states and the Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital. The United Arab Emirates, one of the main members of the Western-backed alliance, has set a Tuesday deadline for the Iran-aligned Houthis to withdraw from the port of Hodeidah under UN-led negotiations or face an assault. It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government that the foreign armies have attempted to capture such a well-defended major city. Hodeidah, Yemen's biggest port and the only port controlled by the Houthis, serves as the lifeline for the majority of Yemen's population, which lives in Houthi-ruled territory. The United Nations said it was engaged in "intense" shuttle diplomacy between the Houthis and coalition leaders Saudi Arabia and the UAE to avert the attack. It estimates 600,000 people live in the area, and in a worst-case scenario a battle could cost up to 250,000 lives, as well as cutting off millions from aid and supplies. Emirati-led troops have advanced along the southwestern coast to the outskirts of Hodeidah under a coalition strategy to box in the Houthis in the capital Sanaa and choke off their supply lines to force them to the negotiating table. Local military sources said hundreds of Yemeni fighters as well as tanks and military supplies from the UAE arrived on Monday to reinforce troops, including Emiratis and Sudanese, in al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6.21 miles) south of Hodeidah. The sources said Yemeni forces allied to the Saudi-led coalition -- drawn from southern separatists, local units from the Red Sea coastal plain and a battalion led by a nephew of late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh -- had advanced and were "at the doors" of Hodeidah airport. The war pits the Houthis against the Western-backed Sunni Muslim states, which intervened in 2015 to restore the exiled government and thwart what Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see as expansionist aims of their Shi'ite Muslim foe Iran. The Houthis, with roots in a Zaidi Shi'ite minority that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in Yemen until 1962, deny they are pawns of Iran. They say they have led a popular revolution against corruption and are defending the country from invaders. "I think the Emiratis have done a good job in presenting compelling arguments about why an operation (on Hodeidah) could, in the end, tip the balance and apply enough pressure to bring the Houthis to the table," a Western diplomat said on Monday. "The Emiratis' preparedness is crucial in this. This is possibly what we're most concerned about." Grace period European donor governments warned aid groups in Yemen on Saturday that "a military assault now looks imminent," according to a message seen by Reuters. It said: "The Emiratis have informed us today that they will now give a 3-day grace period for the UN (and their partners) to leave the city." The UAE foreign ministry and government communication office did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The United Nations relocated foreign staff members from Hodeidah on Monday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week it had pulled 71 foreign staff out of Yemen. The renewed push on Hodeidah comes amid increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and arch-foe Iran after the United States withdrew last month from an international nuclear agreement with Tehran, a move hailed by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia's Western allies, under increasing scrutiny for selling arms to the states fighting in Yemen, have not publicly made clear whether they approve of an assault on Hodeidah. Riyadh says the Houthis use the port to smuggle Iranian-made weapons, including missiles that have been launched at Saudi cities -- accusations denied by the group and Tehran. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has warned the group will attack oil tankers in the event of an assault on Hodeidah. The coalition says one of the main justifications for its intervention is to protect Red Sea shipping, which brings Middle East oil and Asian goods to Europe through the Suez Canal.

Saudi-led alliance gears up for battle in key Yemeni port city

US military operations around the world claimed the lives of 500 civilians in 2017, according to a Pentagon report released on Friday.

According to the report, the civilians were killed in a total of six countries which included Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

In the report, it has been pointed out that Pentagon had no credible reports of civilian casualties from Libya and Somalia. Also, the Pentagon is yet to assess 450 civilian-casualty reports in Iraq and Syria, due to the paucity of resources, thereby indicating a possibility for the final tally to be higher.

It was the first time ever Pentagon released figures for civilian casualties caused by US&nbsp;military operations.&nbsp;

The Pentagon said about 499 civilians were killed and about 169 civilians injured, without providing a breakdown of deaths and injuries per country or further details about the victims.

It also said it had yet to assess 450 civilian-casualty reports in Iraq and Syria, due to limited resources, indicating the final tally could be higher.

According to the report, the civilians were killed in a total of six countries which included Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen

US military operations around the world claimed the lives of 500 civilians in 2017, according to a Pentagon report released on Friday. According to the report, the civilians were killed in a total of six countries which included Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. In the report, it has been pointed out that Pentagon had no credible reports of civilian casualties from Libya and Somalia. Also, the Pentagon is yet to assess 450 civilian-casualty reports in Iraq and Syria, due to the paucity of resources, thereby indicating a possibility for the final tally to be higher. It was the first time ever Pentagon released figures for civilian casualties caused by US military operations. The Pentagon said about 499 civilians were killed and about 169 civilians injured, without providing a breakdown of deaths and injuries per country or further details about the victims. It also said it had yet to assess 450 civilian-casualty reports in Iraq and Syria, due to limited resources, indicating the final tally could be higher.

US military operations killed 500 civilians globally in 2017: Pentagon

The Indian Naval has evacuated the 38 Indian nationals who were stranded on Yemen island due to the Mekunu&nbsp;cyclone.

After evacuating the people, the Indian naval ship&nbsp;Sunayna is set to move towards Porbandar, to disembark the people, the Indian Navy said.

The Navy had launched the operation called "Operation Nistar" to evacuate 38 stranded Indians around Socotra island located close to the horn of Africa between the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

The Indian Naval Ship INS Sunayna was deployed in the Western Arabian Sea.

The cyclone Mekunu had badly hit various parts of Oman and Socotra island.

Socotra is about 1,180 nautical miles from Mumbai.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: 38 Indians, who were stranded on Yemen's Socotra island after cyclone Mekenu, on board Indian Naval Ship Sunayna after being evacuated by Indian Navy. (Video Source: Indian Navy) <a href="https://t.co/j8b2St3qE6">pic.twitter.com/j8b2St3qE6</a>
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After evacuating the people, the Indian naval ship Sunayna is set to move towards Porbandar, to disembark the people, the Indian Navy said

The Indian Naval has evacuated the 38 Indian nationals who were stranded on Yemen island due to the Mekunu cyclone. After evacuating the people, the Indian naval ship Sunayna is set to move towards Porbandar, to disembark the people, the Indian Navy said. The Navy had launched the operation called "Operation Nistar" to evacuate 38 stranded Indians around Socotra island located close to the horn of Africa between the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The Indian Naval Ship INS Sunayna was deployed in the Western Arabian Sea. The cyclone Mekunu had badly hit various parts of Oman and Socotra island. Socotra is about 1,180 nautical miles from Mumbai. #WATCH: 38 Indians, who were stranded on Yemen's Socotra island after cyclone Mekenu, on board Indian Naval Ship Sunayna after being evacuated by Indian Navy. (Video Source: Indian Navy) pic.twitter.com/j8b2St3qE6 — ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2018 ×

Watch: Navy evacuates Indians stranded on Yemen island due to Mekunu cyclone

Cyclone Mekunu hit Southern part of Oman as heavy winds and rain resulted in several casualties.

According to media reports, 11 people were killed in the cyclone among which, three were Indian.

"Indian Embassy Team in Salalah has confirmed that as per Royal Oman Police, mortal remains of one (Shamsher Ali) of two missing Indian have been found and the search for the other (Madhu) is underway. There is no report of casualty amongst other expatriates,” the Indian Embassy in Muscat tweeted.&nbsp;

“Indian Embassy is taking care of 50 Indian dhow crew,” it said.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Labour ministry of Oman has advised all private sector companies to shut down as it declared to shut down three days off following the cyclone.

The heavy winds as caused extensive damage halting operation sat Salalah port.

Cyclone Mekunu hit southern Yemen and the coast of neighbouring Oman over the weekend, resulting in several fatalities.

Salalah Port Services Company said that operations at the port had been halted because of the damage caused by the cyclone and that it would take a minimum of 72 hours to "make the port safe".

Sembcorp Salalah Water and Power Company, which operates an electricity generation and seawater desalination plant in Oman, said its water production plant had been shut down temporarily owing to rough seas because of a tropical storm.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Labour ministry of Oman has advised all private sector companies to shut down as it declared to shut down three days off following the cyclone

Cyclone Mekunu hit Southern part of Oman as heavy winds and rain resulted in several casualties. According to media reports, 11 people were killed in the cyclone among which, three were Indian. "Indian Embassy Team in Salalah has confirmed that as per Royal Oman Police, mortal remains of one (Shamsher Ali) of two missing Indian have been found and the search for the other (Madhu) is underway. There is no report of casualty amongst other expatriates,” the Indian Embassy in Muscat tweeted. “Indian Embassy is taking care of 50 Indian dhow crew,” it said. Meanwhile, Labour ministry of Oman has advised all private sector companies to shut down as it declared to shut down three days off following the cyclone. The heavy winds as caused extensive damage halting operation sat Salalah port. Cyclone Mekunu hit southern Yemen and the coast of neighbouring Oman over the weekend, resulting in several fatalities. Salalah Port Services Company said that operations at the port had been halted because of the damage caused by the cyclone and that it would take a minimum of 72 hours to "make the port safe". Sembcorp Salalah Water and Power Company, which operates an electricity generation and seawater desalination plant in Oman, said its water production plant had been shut down temporarily owing to rough seas because of a tropical storm. (With inputs from Reuters)

3 Indians died in Cyclone Mekunu in Oman, 11 dead in total

Five people including one Indian national were killed due to the Mekumu cyclone storm on the Yemen islan of Socotra on Friday before hitting Arabian Peninsula's southern coast.&nbsp

The other four who were killed were Yemen nationals. At least 40 have also been reported missing among which three wre local sailor whose ship capsized off the coast.&nbsp

Following the incident, Yemen declared a state of emergency for Socotra, which lies between southern Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

A major cyclonic storm termed as 'Mekunu' which hit Westcentral and adjoining Southwest Arabian Sea may now move northwards during the next 24 hours, reports said on Friday.&nbsp

It is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross south Oman-southeast Yemen coasts close to Salalah, by May 26.

As per reports, a cyclone Mekunu in the Arabian Sea may make a landfall in the Arabian Peninsula later this week. A north to northwest track in the coming days will bring the risk for life-threatening impacts to Socotra, Oman and Yemen.

The storm is worsening and most parts of the island have lost communications, said the governor of the nearby province of Hadhramaut.

The same weather system hit the Horn of Africa on Wednesday, killing more than 50 people in Somaliland.

Yemeni government spokesman Badi called on international humanitarian organisations and the Riyadh-led military coalition participating in the war to provide urgent aid to the island, where Saudi and UAE forces have a presence.

Following the incident, Yemen declared a state of emergency for Socotra, which lies between southern Yemen and the Horn of Africa

Five people including one Indian national were killed due to the Mekumu cyclone storm on the Yemen islan of Socotra on Friday before hitting Arabian Peninsula's southern coast. The other four who were killed were Yemen nationals. At least 40 have also been reported missing among which three wre local sailor whose ship capsized off the coast. Following the incident, Yemen declared a state of emergency for Socotra, which lies between southern Yemen and the Horn of Africa. A major cyclonic storm termed as 'Mekunu' which hit Westcentral and adjoining Southwest Arabian Sea may now move northwards during the next 24 hours, reports said on Friday. It is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross south Oman-southeast Yemen coasts close to Salalah, by May 26. As per reports, a cyclone Mekunu in the Arabian Sea may make a landfall in the Arabian Peninsula later this week. A north to northwest track in the coming days will bring the risk for life-threatening impacts to Socotra, Oman and Yemen. The storm is worsening and most parts of the island have lost communications, said the governor of the nearby province of Hadhramaut. The same weather system hit the Horn of Africa on Wednesday, killing more than 50 people in Somaliland. Yemeni government spokesman Badi called on international humanitarian organisations and the Riyadh-led military coalition participating in the war to provide urgent aid to the island, where Saudi and UAE forces have a presence.

Indian national among 5 killed in Mekunu Cyclone

A major cyclonic storm termed as 'Mekunu' which hit Westcentral and adjoining Southwest Arabian Sea may now move northwards during the next 24 hours, reports said on Friday.&nbsp;

It is&nbsp;likely to move north-northwestwards and cross south Oman-southeast Yemen coasts close to Salalah, by May 26.

As per reports, a cyclone Mekunu in the Arabian Sea may&nbsp;make a landfall in the Arabian Peninsula later this week. A north to northwest track in the coming days will bring the risk for life-threatening impacts to Socotra, Oman and Yemen.

A state of emergency was declared in Socotra, an island located between the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula, after the storm flooded villages, capsized boats and left at least 17 missing on Thursday, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

As the system is away from Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along and off the west coast of India and Lakshadweep.&nbsp;

The MET department had on Thursday said that the cyclone is likely to trigger heavy showers along the western coast of Maharashtra in the next few days. Some isolated places in Konkan will receive rain, but the rest of Maharashtra will have no impact, reports said.

Nineteen people were missing after seven boats capsized and three cars were washed away by floods, said one Yemeni government minister, adding that evacuations to shelters are still underway in the island’s capital. Another official said more than 200 families had been evacuated from their villages.

The storm is worsening and most parts of the island have lost communications, said the governor of the nearby province of Hadhramaut.

The same weather system hit the Horn of Africa on Wednesday, killing more than 50 people in Somaliland.

Yemeni government spokesman Badi called on international humanitarian organisations and the Riyadh-led military coalition participating in the war to provide urgent aid to the island, where Saudi and UAE forces have a presence.

In November 2015, Socotra and south Yemen were hit by cyclone Chapala which injured more than 200 people.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the system is away from Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along and off the west coast of India and Lakshadweep

A major cyclonic storm termed as 'Mekunu' which hit Westcentral and adjoining Southwest Arabian Sea may now move northwards during the next 24 hours, reports said on Friday. It is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross south Oman-southeast Yemen coasts close to Salalah, by May 26. As per reports, a cyclone Mekunu in the Arabian Sea may make a landfall in the Arabian Peninsula later this week. A north to northwest track in the coming days will bring the risk for life-threatening impacts to Socotra, Oman and Yemen. A state of emergency was declared in Socotra, an island located between the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula, after the storm flooded villages, capsized boats and left at least 17 missing on Thursday, Reuters reported. As the system is away from Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along and off the west coast of India and Lakshadweep. The MET department had on Thursday said that the cyclone is likely to trigger heavy showers along the western coast of Maharashtra in the next few days. Some isolated places in Konkan will receive rain, but the rest of Maharashtra will have no impact, reports said. Nineteen people were missing after seven boats capsized and three cars were washed away by floods, said one Yemeni government minister, adding that evacuations to shelters are still underway in the island’s capital. Another official said more than 200 families had been evacuated from their villages. The storm is worsening and most parts of the island have lost communications, said the governor of the nearby province of Hadhramaut. The same weather system hit the Horn of Africa on Wednesday, killing more than 50 people in Somaliland. Yemeni government spokesman Badi called on international humanitarian organisations and the Riyadh-led military coalition participating in the war to provide urgent aid to the island, where Saudi and UAE forces have a presence. In November 2015, Socotra and south Yemen were hit by cyclone Chapala which injured more than 200 people. (With inputs from agencies)

Cyclone storm 'Mekunu' to move northwards from Southwest Arabian Sea in 24 hours

Saudi Arabia defence intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi movement over the southern city of Jazan, the Saudi-led coalition said on Monday.

Earlier, the Houthis said the group had fired a Badr-1 ballistic missile at Jazan's airport, without giving any further details.

The Houthis, an Iran-allied group that holds much of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa, have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

A US-backed military alliance intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 to fight against the Houthis on behalf of the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi, who lives in exile in Riyadh. Iran and the Houthis dismiss Saudi accusations that Tehran arms the group.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said Saudi air defence forces destroyed the missile over Jazan and accused the Houthis of targeting residential areas, according to a report from the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Houthis have fired a salvo of missiles at Saudi Arabia in recent months, including the capital, Riyadh, while the coalition launched thousands of air strikes against Houthi-held areas, killing hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets.

The Houthis have fired a salvo of missiles at Saudi Arabia in recent months

Saudi Arabia defence intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi movement over the southern city of Jazan, the Saudi-led coalition said on Monday. Earlier, the Houthis said the group had fired a Badr-1 ballistic missile at Jazan's airport, without giving any further details. The Houthis, an Iran-allied group that holds much of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa, have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. A US-backed military alliance intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 to fight against the Houthis on behalf of the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi, who lives in exile in Riyadh. Iran and the Houthis dismiss Saudi accusations that Tehran arms the group. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said Saudi air defence forces destroyed the missile over Jazan and accused the Houthis of targeting residential areas, according to a report from the official Saudi Press Agency. The Houthis have fired a salvo of missiles at Saudi Arabia in recent months, including the capital, Riyadh, while the coalition launched thousands of air strikes against Houthi-held areas, killing hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets.

Saudi air defences destroy ballistic missile fired from Yemen

US President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-options-on-iran-nuclear-deal-135293">Donald Trump</a> is set to decide the fate of the landmark <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/ahead-of-us-decision-on-iran-deal-a-look-at-gulf-oil-diplomacy-135492">Iran nuclear deal</a> on Tuesday, announcing his verdict on US sanctions relief underpinning the international accord, which he has repeatedly and harshly criticised.

Officials and diplomats expect the pugnacious US leader to ignore last-ditch European pleas and move to withdraw the United States from a 2015 agreement, which he insists was "very badly negotiated".

Trump has unsuccessfully demanded changes to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-nuclear-deal--135480">Obama-era deal</a>, which saw Iran mothball a suspected nuclear weapons program in return for massive sanctions relief.

Months of intensive talks between the United States and European allies now appear deadlocked, with Berlin, London and Paris refusing to rewrite the agreement. The prospect of Trump pulling out of the deal has left many West Asian countries concerned.

"I can't say if the US will walk away from the Iran nuclear deal but we have to all work together and strive for Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons," Jordan's foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi said.

"If we do not look at the political picture and ... find a way to ensure that the whole region is free of (these weapons), we'll be looking at a lot of dangerous repercussions that will affect the region in terms of an arms race," he said.

In March, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS news that his kingdom would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran, Riyadh's arch foe, did so.

Trump has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/a-timeline-of-trumps-statements-on-the-iran-nuclear-deal-135463">consistently threatened to pull out</a> of the 2015 agreement because it does not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen, and does not permanently prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

One European diplomat echoed the mood around foreign embassies in Washington, saying "there is plainly a difference of opinion," acknowledging that Trump seems poised to walk away from the accord.

WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE SAYING

Germany and France on Monday vowed to stand by the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers even if the United States pulls out.

"This agreement is not the best one in the world," France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told RTL radio. "But without being perfect, it still has its virtues... and they (the Iranians) are respecting it," she said.

Volker Kauder, head of Merkel's conservatives in parliament, said continued dialogue was needed to avoid isolating Iran.

"That would only further exacerbate the situation in the Middle East," Kauder told reporters in Murnau, where Merkel and other leaders of the coalition government are gathered for a retreat.

Andrea Nahles, head of the Social Democrats, junior partner in the coalition, also warned against a US decision to withdraw from the accord. "The situation is more difficult than ever. Things are falling apart at every corner," she said.

'READY FOR ANY SCENARIO'

Iran has, meanwhile, said that it will not re-negotiate and will resist any American attempt to counter its presence in West Asia. <a href="www.wionews.com/world/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-135382">Iran also said</a> that it is ready for any scenario.

"We are ready for any possible scenario... If the United States violates the deal, it would be naive to negotiate with this country again," Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri was quoted as saying by news agency Tasnim.

Iranian officials say all this amounts to a flagrant violation of article 29 of the nuclear deal, which committed the US to ensure "the normalisation of trade and economic relations with Iran".

The US counters that it never promised to lift non-nuclear sanctions related to issues such as human rights and Iran's missile programme, which were already complicating trade before Trump came to power.

Trump has consistently threatened to pull out of the 2015 agreement because it does not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen.

US President Donald Trump is set to decide the fate of the landmark Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday, announcing his verdict on US sanctions relief underpinning the international accord, which he has repeatedly and harshly criticised. Officials and diplomats expect the pugnacious US leader to ignore last-ditch European pleas and move to withdraw the United States from a 2015 agreement, which he insists was "very badly negotiated". Trump has unsuccessfully demanded changes to the Obama-era deal, which saw Iran mothball a suspected nuclear weapons program in return for massive sanctions relief. Months of intensive talks between the United States and European allies now appear deadlocked, with Berlin, London and Paris refusing to rewrite the agreement. The prospect of Trump pulling out of the deal has left many West Asian countries concerned. "I can't say if the US will walk away from the Iran nuclear deal but we have to all work together and strive for Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons," Jordan's foreign minister Ayman al-Safadi said. "If we do not look at the political picture and ... find a way to ensure that the whole region is free of (these weapons), we'll be looking at a lot of dangerous repercussions that will affect the region in terms of an arms race," he said. In March, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS news that his kingdom would "without a doubt" develop nuclear weapons if Iran, Riyadh's arch foe, did so. Trump has consistently threatened to pull out of the 2015 agreement because it does not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen, and does not permanently prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. One European diplomat echoed the mood around foreign embassies in Washington, saying "there is plainly a difference of opinion," acknowledging that Trump seems poised to walk away from the accord. WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE SAYING Germany and France on Monday vowed to stand by the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers even if the United States pulls out. "This agreement is not the best one in the world," France's Defence Minister Florence Parly told RTL radio. "But without being perfect, it still has its virtues... and they (the Iranians) are respecting it," she said. Volker Kauder, head of Merkel's conservatives in parliament, said continued dialogue was needed to avoid isolating Iran. "That would only further exacerbate the situation in the Middle East," Kauder told reporters in Murnau, where Merkel and other leaders of the coalition government are gathered for a retreat. Andrea Nahles, head of the Social Democrats, junior partner in the coalition, also warned against a US decision to withdraw from the accord. "The situation is more difficult than ever. Things are falling apart at every corner," she said. 'READY FOR ANY SCENARIO' Iran has, meanwhile, said that it will not re-negotiate and will resist any American attempt to counter its presence in West Asia. Iran also said that it is ready for any scenario. "We are ready for any possible scenario... If the United States violates the deal, it would be naive to negotiate with this country again," Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri was quoted as saying by news agency Tasnim. Iranian officials say all this amounts to a flagrant violation of article 29 of the nuclear deal, which committed the US to ensure "the normalisation of trade and economic relations with Iran". The US counters that it never promised to lift non-nuclear sanctions related to issues such as human rights and Iran's missile programme, which were already complicating trade before Trump came to power.

What will happen to West Asia if Trump pulls out of Iran nuclear deal?

Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's presidential palace in the centre of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa early on Monday, killing at least six people, Houthi-run media reported.

The coalition, which entered Yemen's war in 2015 to push back Houthi fighters who had taken over large parts of the country, said it had meant to hit senior Houthi leaders.

"First and second rank Houthi leadership were targeted," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters in Riyadh, without confirming any casualties.

Two air strikes damaged the palace as well as houses and businesses nearby in the city's central Tahrir district, the SABA news agency reported.

Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia said two Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the group's supreme revolutionary committee, were inside the palace at the time, but did not say what happened to them.

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said at least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the strikes.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Photos and television footage showed a building reduced to a pile of smashed concrete and twisted metal bars. An armed Houthi fighter tried to stop people approaching the site.

The two sides in Yemen have fought to a stalemate after more than three years of war.

Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused their rival Iran of arming and supporting the Houthis - an assertion dismissed by both the armed group and Tehran.

The Houthis say they are fighting for Yemen’s sovereignty against a Western-backed plot to dominate the country.

A Saudi-led coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader in Yemen, Saleh al-Samad, the most senior official to be killed by the alliance.

Houthi-run media reported that at least six people were killed

Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's presidential palace in the centre of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa early on Monday, killing at least six people, Houthi-run media reported. The coalition, which entered Yemen's war in 2015 to push back Houthi fighters who had taken over large parts of the country, said it had meant to hit senior Houthi leaders. "First and second rank Houthi leadership were targeted," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters in Riyadh, without confirming any casualties. Two air strikes damaged the palace as well as houses and businesses nearby in the city's central Tahrir district, the SABA news agency reported. Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia said two Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the group's supreme revolutionary committee, were inside the palace at the time, but did not say what happened to them. The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said at least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the strikes. Reuters could not independently confirm the reports. Photos and television footage showed a building reduced to a pile of smashed concrete and twisted metal bars. An armed Houthi fighter tried to stop people approaching the site. The two sides in Yemen have fought to a stalemate after more than three years of war. Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused their rival Iran of arming and supporting the Houthis - an assertion dismissed by both the armed group and Tehran. The Houthis say they are fighting for Yemen’s sovereignty against a Western-backed plot to dominate the country. A Saudi-led coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader in Yemen, Saleh al-Samad, the most senior official to be killed by the alliance.

Saudi-led air strikes hit Yemen presidential palace: Houthi media

Malaysian authorities&nbsphave convicted a Danish man for&nbsp''fake news'' making it&nbspa first arrest&nbspunder the controversial law.

46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call after a Palestinian lecturer was gunned down in Kuala Lumpur&nbspon April 21.

In his video, Sulaiman claimed in Arabic that the authorities&nbsptook 50 minutes in responding to the distress calls after the incident took place whereas the police have disputed claiming that it took eight minutes to respond.

Sulaiman has&nbsppleaded guilty in court and said that he didn't mean to spread any kind of harm to the society as he apologised. He further said that the two-minute video was made under frustrated emotion.

He has been sentenced to a week by a local judge and fined with 10,000 ringgit.

The court has further directed to extend his imprisonment by one month if he fails to pay his fine.

Ahead of the upcoming elections in May, Malaysia introduced laws against fake news to crack down on people spreading false information and hate speech.

However, the law was criticised by the Malaysian media and experts as it has alleged that the law breaches constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. Some critics of the law are also seeing it as an attempt to suppress talks of the corruption ahead of the election.

Malaysia became one of the few countries who introduced laws against fake news issue. The law was passed earlier in April which makes spreading false news punishable by up to six years with a hefty fine of&nbsp500,000 ringgit.

46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call

Malaysian authorities&nbsphave convicted a Danish man for ''fake news'' making it&nbspa first arrest&nbspunder the controversial law. 46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call after a Palestinian lecturer was gunned down in Kuala Lumpur&nbspon April 21. In his video, Sulaiman claimed in Arabic that the authorities&nbsptook 50 minutes in responding to the distress calls after the incident took place whereas the police have disputed claiming that it took eight minutes to respond. Sulaiman has&nbsppleaded guilty in court and said that he didn't mean to spread any kind of harm to the society as he apologised. He further said that the two-minute video was made under frustrated emotion. He has been sentenced to a week by a local judge and fined with 10,000 ringgit. The court has further directed to extend his imprisonment by one month if he fails to pay his fine. Ahead of the upcoming elections in May, Malaysia introduced laws against fake news to crack down on people spreading false information and hate speech. However, the law was criticised by the Malaysian media and experts as it has alleged that the law breaches constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. Some critics of the law are also seeing it as an attempt to suppress talks of the corruption ahead of the election. Malaysia became one of the few countries who introduced laws against fake news issue. The law was passed earlier in April which makes spreading false news punishable by up to six years with a hefty fine of&nbsp500,000 ringgit.

Malaysia: First person convicted under fake news law

At least 38 Houthi militants were killed when a coalition airstrike led by Saudi Arabia targeted the building of Yemen interior ministry in Sanaa in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

The Saudi-led airstrike targeted a high-level meeting of Shiite rebels in Yemen’s capital which also killed two of the group’s leaders.

The raid happened during a meeting organizing the burial of the so-called Supreme Political Council, reports said. The deputy interior minister of the militia government, Abdelhakim al-Khiowani, who is known as Abu al-Karrar, is believed to be among the targets.

The Houthis confirmed an air strike on Sanaa but gave no details.

Earlier on Saturday, Saudi air defences reportedly intercepted four missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Jazan province bordering with Yemen in southern Saudi Arabia.

Continued missile attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen have forced Saudi Arabia to cut off air, sea and land links from its neighbour. Saudi defence forces have also halted Yemen's financial aids and food and fuel imports as well.

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed in Sanaa after days of intense fighting between Houthi rebels and his loyalist forces on December 4 last year.

The Saudi-led airstrike targeted a high-level meeting of Shiite rebels in Yemen’s capital which also killed two of the group’s leaders.

At least 38 Houthi militants were killed when a coalition airstrike led by Saudi Arabia targeted the building of Yemen interior ministry in Sanaa in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The Saudi-led airstrike targeted a high-level meeting of Shiite rebels in Yemen’s capital which also killed two of the group’s leaders. The raid happened during a meeting organizing the burial of the so-called Supreme Political Council, reports said. The deputy interior minister of the militia government, Abdelhakim al-Khiowani, who is known as Abu al-Karrar, is believed to be among the targets. The Houthis confirmed an air strike on Sanaa but gave no details. Earlier on Saturday, Saudi air defences reportedly intercepted four missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Jazan province bordering with Yemen in southern Saudi Arabia. Continued missile attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen have forced Saudi Arabia to cut off air, sea and land links from its neighbour. Saudi defence forces have also halted Yemen's financial aids and food and fuel imports as well. Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed in Sanaa after days of intense fighting between Houthi rebels and his loyalist forces on December 4 last year.

At least 38 Houthis killed in Saudi-led airstrike

Air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition killed at least 20 people attending a wedding in a village in northwestern Yemen late on Sunday, residents and medical sources said.

The head of Al Jumhouri hospital in Hajjah told Reuters by telephone that the hospital had received 40 bodies, most of them torn to pieces, and that 46 people had been injured, including 30 children, in air strikes that hit a wedding gathering.

Residents and medics told Reuters that 20 people attending the celebration were killed and at least 30 injured.&nbsp

"We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are," a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters.

Residents of a village called Taiba elsewhere in the province told Reuters that a separate air strike killed a family of four in their house on Sunday night.

The Western-backed alliance has been fighting a war for three years against the armed Houthi movement which controls the area and much of northern Yemen.

It has launched thousands of air strikes in a campaign to restore the internationally recognized government. Errant strikes have killed hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets.

Al-Masirah, the TV station of the armed Houthi movement which controls the area and much of northern Yemen, said on its Twitter account that 33 people had been killed and 55 wounded.

The coalition says it does not target civilians and has set up an investigation committee into alleged mass casualty air strikes which have mostly cleared the coalition of any blame.

The Yemen war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced more than 2 million and driven the country to the verge of famine, according to the United Nations.

The head of Al Jumhouri hospital in Hajjah told Reuters by telephone that the hospital had received 40 bodies, most of them torn to pieces, and that 46 people had been injured, including 30 children, in air strikes that hit a wedding gathering

Air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition killed at least 20 people attending a wedding in a village in northwestern Yemen late on Sunday, residents and medical sources said. The head of Al Jumhouri hospital in Hajjah told Reuters by telephone that the hospital had received 40 bodies, most of them torn to pieces, and that 46 people had been injured, including 30 children, in air strikes that hit a wedding gathering. Residents and medics told Reuters that 20 people attending the celebration were killed and at least 30 injured. "We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are," a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters. Residents of a village called Taiba elsewhere in the province told Reuters that a separate air strike killed a family of four in their house on Sunday night. The Western-backed alliance has been fighting a war for three years against the armed Houthi movement which controls the area and much of northern Yemen. It has launched thousands of air strikes in a campaign to restore the internationally recognized government. Errant strikes have killed hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets. Al-Masirah, the TV station of the armed Houthi movement which controls the area and much of northern Yemen, said on its Twitter account that 33 people had been killed and 55 wounded. The coalition says it does not target civilians and has set up an investigation committee into alleged mass casualty air strikes which have mostly cleared the coalition of any blame. The Yemen war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced more than 2 million and driven the country to the verge of famine, according to the United Nations.

At least 20 dead, 30 injured in Saudi-led air strike at Yemen wedding

Saudi Arabia`s King Salman opened a summit of Arab leaders on Sunday by condemning an old foe, Iran, without making any reference to missile strikes by Western powers on Syrian government targets over a suspected gas attack a week ago.

Regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran have been locked in a decades-long struggle for supremacy that is being waged in proxy wars in several countries, including Yemen and Syria.

"We renew our strong condemnation of terrorist acts carried out by Iran in the Arab region, and we reject its blatant interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries," King Salman said in the eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, without giving specifics. Iran denies the charges.

There was no mention in King Salman`s remarks nor in the summit`s closing statement of Saturday`s missile launch by the United States, Britain and France against three alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria. The Syrian government denies using - or possessing - chemical weapons and said the strikes were an act of aggression.

Saudi Arabia and allies expressed support for the strikes on Saturday, but Iraq and Lebanon have condemned them. Other countries like Jordan and Kuwait refrained from taking a position, instead renewing calls for a political solution to the multi-sided war which has killed at least half a million people in the past seven years.

Military help over the past three years from Russia and Iran, which also backs Lebanon`s Hezbollah group and Shi`ite Muslim militias in Iraq, has allowed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to crush the rebel threat to topple him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed cooperating with the Arab League on regional security, specifically in Iraq and Syria following the defeat of Islamic State militants there, according to Russian news agencies.

Saudi Arabia, which takes over the rotating chair of the Arab summit from Jordan, announced that the current gathering would be named the "Quds (Jerusalem) Summit", a reference to US President Donald Trump`s decision last year to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel which Arab states condemned.

Delegates pledged in the closing statement to support the Palestinians and ensure regional security with a call for regional actors to respect Arab sovereignty and for militias to disarm. They provided few details.

King Salman said Saudi Arabia was donating $200 million to support the Palestinians, including $50 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Gulf Rift

Qatar did not send a senior official in a sign that its 10-month dispute with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt is still a long way from being resolved.

The four countries severed diplomatic and transport ties with Doha in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott is an attempt to impinge on its sovereignty.

The Qatari delegation is being headed by Doha`s permanent representative to the Arab League, Saif bin Muqaddam al-Buainain, Qatar`s state news agency said, without elaborating.

Most of the 22 other countries are represented by heads of state or government. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani headed Qatar`s delegation at last year`s summit in Jordan.

Sheikh Tamim returned to Doha on Saturday from a US trip where he met Trump. Trump publicly sided with the Saudis and Emiratis early in the crisis but is now pushing for a resolution to restore Gulf Arab unity and maintain a united front against Iran.

Ahead of the summit, the four boycotting nations said their demands - including closing the Al Jazeera television station and reducing ties with Iran - were "a necessary basis" for a resolution to the crisis with Qatar.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday the crisis would not be discussed at the meeting, Al Arabiya TV reported.

&nbsp

Regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran have been locked in a decades-long struggle for supremacy that is being waged in proxy wars in several countries, including Yemen and Syria

Saudi Arabia`s King Salman opened a summit of Arab leaders on Sunday by condemning an old foe, Iran, without making any reference to missile strikes by Western powers on Syrian government targets over a suspected gas attack a week ago. Regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran have been locked in a decades-long struggle for supremacy that is being waged in proxy wars in several countries, including Yemen and Syria. "We renew our strong condemnation of terrorist acts carried out by Iran in the Arab region, and we reject its blatant interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries," King Salman said in the eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, without giving specifics. Iran denies the charges. There was no mention in King Salman`s remarks nor in the summit`s closing statement of Saturday`s missile launch by the United States, Britain and France against three alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria. The Syrian government denies using - or possessing - chemical weapons and said the strikes were an act of aggression. Saudi Arabia and allies expressed support for the strikes on Saturday, but Iraq and Lebanon have condemned them. Other countries like Jordan and Kuwait refrained from taking a position, instead renewing calls for a political solution to the multi-sided war which has killed at least half a million people in the past seven years. Military help over the past three years from Russia and Iran, which also backs Lebanon`s Hezbollah group and Shi`ite Muslim militias in Iraq, has allowed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to crush the rebel threat to topple him. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed cooperating with the Arab League on regional security, specifically in Iraq and Syria following the defeat of Islamic State militants there, according to Russian news agencies. Saudi Arabia, which takes over the rotating chair of the Arab summit from Jordan, announced that the current gathering would be named the "Quds (Jerusalem) Summit", a reference to US President Donald Trump`s decision last year to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel which Arab states condemned. Delegates pledged in the closing statement to support the Palestinians and ensure regional security with a call for regional actors to respect Arab sovereignty and for militias to disarm. They provided few details. King Salman said Saudi Arabia was donating $200 million to support the Palestinians, including $50 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Gulf Rift Qatar did not send a senior official in a sign that its 10-month dispute with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt is still a long way from being resolved. The four countries severed diplomatic and transport ties with Doha in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott is an attempt to impinge on its sovereignty. The Qatari delegation is being headed by Doha`s permanent representative to the Arab League, Saif bin Muqaddam al-Buainain, Qatar`s state news agency said, without elaborating. Most of the 22 other countries are represented by heads of state or government. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani headed Qatar`s delegation at last year`s summit in Jordan. Sheikh Tamim returned to Doha on Saturday from a US trip where he met Trump. Trump publicly sided with the Saudis and Emiratis early in the crisis but is now pushing for a resolution to restore Gulf Arab unity and maintain a united front against Iran. Ahead of the summit, the four boycotting nations said their demands - including closing the Al Jazeera television station and reducing ties with Iran - were "a necessary basis" for a resolution to the crisis with Qatar. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday the crisis would not be discussed at the meeting, Al Arabiya TV reported.

Saudi condemns Iran amid Arab divisions over Syria strikes

A Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea was hit in a Houthi attack off Yemen's main port city of Hodeidah, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported on Tuesday, citing a statement from the Saudi-led coalition.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group said they had targeted a warship of the coalition in the Red Sea in response to an airstrike in Yemen's Hodeidah province on Monday.

The oil tanker was attacked by Houthi rebels at 1:30pm local time, reports quoted Colonel Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition forces, as saying.

As per reports, Al-Maliki said the attack failed after one of the alliance's naval vessels intervened, adding that the oil tanker suffered only minor damage.

The vessel continued on its navigational line and sailed north following the incident while being accompanied by alliance ships.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group said they had targeted a warship of the coalition in the Red Sea in response to an air strike in Yemen's Hodeidah province on Monday

A Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea was hit in a Houthi attack off Yemen's main port city of Hodeidah, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television reported on Tuesday, citing a statement from the Saudi-led coalition. The Iran-aligned Houthi group said they had targeted a warship of the coalition in the Red Sea in response to an airstrike in Yemen's Hodeidah province on Monday. The oil tanker was attacked by Houthi rebels at 1:30pm local time, reports quoted Colonel Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition forces, as saying. As per reports, Al-Maliki said the attack failed after one of the alliance's naval vessels intervened, adding that the oil tanker suffered only minor damage. The vessel continued on its navigational line and sailed north following the incident while being accompanied by alliance ships.

Saudi oil tanker hit in Houthi attack off Yemen

The United Nations asked donors on Tuesday for nearly $3 billion to help an estimated 13 million people who urgently need aid in war-ravaged Yemen.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the funding drive at a conference in Geneva aiming to raise $2.96 billion (2.4 billion euros) for this year.&nbsp;

Last year's Yemen appeal was for $2.5 billion, which was 73 per cent funded, but the needs have intensified in a country battered since 2015 by a Saudi-led military offensive aimed at repelling Iran-backed Huthi rebels who control the capital.&nbsp;

"Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis," Guterres said, calling the situation "catastrophic."&nbsp;

"But with international support, we can and must prevent this country from becoming a long-term tragedy," he said.&nbsp;

According to the UN, 8.4 million people are on the verge of famine in Yemen, where food imports are essential to sustain the population.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia and its allies shut down the country's land, sea and air borders last year in response to a missile attack by the Huthis that was intercepted near Riyadh.

While the coalition has eased the blockade, restriction on deliveries persist.&nbsp;

"Humanitarians must be able to reach the people who need help the most, without conditions," Guterres said.&nbsp;

"All ports must remain open to humanitarian and commercial cargo, the medicines, food and the fuel needed to deliver them," he added.&nbsp;

About 10,000 Yemenis have been killed and 53,000 wounded since the start of the coalition intervention in Yemen.

The funding appeal came a day after several children were among those killed in a strike on the rebel-held port of Hodeida.

The UN called the incident "one of the deadliest attacks on children since the conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015".&nbsp;

The coalition is the only force known to carry out air strikes on Huthi rebel-held territory and has previously admitted to "erroneous" strikes that caused civilian casualties.&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the funding drive at a conference in Geneva aiming to raise $2.96 billion

The United Nations asked donors on Tuesday for nearly $3 billion to help an estimated 13 million people who urgently need aid in war-ravaged Yemen. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the funding drive at a conference in Geneva aiming to raise $2.96 billion (2.4 billion euros) for this year. Last year's Yemen appeal was for $2.5 billion, which was 73 per cent funded, but the needs have intensified in a country battered since 2015 by a Saudi-led military offensive aimed at repelling Iran-backed Huthi rebels who control the capital. "Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis," Guterres said, calling the situation "catastrophic." "But with international support, we can and must prevent this country from becoming a long-term tragedy," he said. According to the UN, 8.4 million people are on the verge of famine in Yemen, where food imports are essential to sustain the population. Saudi Arabia and its allies shut down the country's land, sea and air borders last year in response to a missile attack by the Huthis that was intercepted near Riyadh. While the coalition has eased the blockade, restriction on deliveries persist. "Humanitarians must be able to reach the people who need help the most, without conditions," Guterres said. "All ports must remain open to humanitarian and commercial cargo, the medicines, food and the fuel needed to deliver them," he added. About 10,000 Yemenis have been killed and 53,000 wounded since the start of the coalition intervention in Yemen. The funding appeal came a day after several children were among those killed in a strike on the rebel-held port of Hodeida. The UN called the incident "one of the deadliest attacks on children since the conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015". The coalition is the only force known to carry out air strikes on Huthi rebel-held territory and has previously admitted to "erroneous" strikes that caused civilian casualties.

United Nations launches $3 billion Yemen appeal

An air strike by the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen killed 12 civilians, including seven children, in the costal city of Hodeidah on Monday, medics and a witness said.

Security officials added that the air strike had wounded at least 30 people on Tuesday.&nbsp

International rights groups have accused the coalition of bombing civilian gatherings, markets, hospitals and residential areas across Yemen since the beginning of its air campaign against Iran-backed rebels, known as Houthis, in March 2015.

Medics and a witness who saw the wreckage said the air strike had destroyed a house in al-Hali district, where displaced civilians from other provinces were settled.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters: "We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are - using an internationally approved, independent process. Whilst this is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Hodeidah is home to the impoverished country's biggest port from where most of the humanitarian aid reaches millions of civilians on the brink of famine. The operation of port, controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthis, was not affected by the air strike.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in a civil war in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The alliance, which includes other Sunni Muslim states, has conducted thousands of air strikes targeting Houthi fighters and has often hit civilian areas, although it denies ever doing so intentionally.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced more than 2 million and driven the country - already the poorest on the Arabian Peninsula - to the verge of famine.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Security officials added that the air strike had wounded atleast 30 people on Tuesday

An air strike by the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen killed 12 civilians, including seven children, in the costal city of Hodeidah on Monday, medics and a witness said. Security officials added that the air strike had wounded at least 30 people on Tuesday. International rights groups have accused the coalition of bombing civilian gatherings, markets, hospitals and residential areas across Yemen since the beginning of its air campaign against Iran-backed rebels, known as Houthis, in March 2015. Medics and a witness who saw the wreckage said the air strike had destroyed a house in al-Hali district, where displaced civilians from other provinces were settled. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition told Reuters: "We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are - using an internationally approved, independent process. Whilst this is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further." Hodeidah is home to the impoverished country's biggest port from where most of the humanitarian aid reaches millions of civilians on the brink of famine. The operation of port, controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthis, was not affected by the air strike. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in a civil war in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis to restore the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The alliance, which includes other Sunni Muslim states, has conducted thousands of air strikes targeting Houthi fighters and has often hit civilian areas, although it denies ever doing so intentionally. The war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced more than 2 million and driven the country - already the poorest on the Arabian Peninsula - to the verge of famine. (With inputs from Reuters)

Saudi-led air strike kills 12 civilians, including seven children

Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh will visit Iraq on April 1 to bring back mortal remains of 39 Indians, who were killed by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq.

On March 20, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had informed the Parliament&nbsp;about the death of the 39 Indians in Mosul.

The 39 Indians were allegedly&nbsp;abducted by ISIS in Mosul.

Of the 39 bodies, 27 were from Punjab and 4 belonged to Himachal, 6 from Bihar and 1 from West Bengal.

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MoS MEA VK Singh to visit Iraq on 1 April to bring back mortal remains of 39 Indians, who were killed by ISIS in Mosul. (File Pic) <a href="https://t.co/w2U70lPH0R">pic.twitter.com/w2U70lPH0R</a>
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Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, had earlier in 2015 evacuated over thousands of Indians from Yemen.

On March 20, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had informed the Parliament about the death of the 39 Indians in Mosul who were allegedly kidnapped by the ISIS

Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh will visit Iraq on April 1 to bring back mortal remains of 39 Indians, who were killed by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq. On March 20, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had informed the Parliament about the death of the 39 Indians in Mosul. The 39 Indians were allegedly abducted by ISIS in Mosul. Of the 39 bodies, 27 were from Punjab and 4 belonged to Himachal, 6 from Bihar and 1 from West Bengal. MoS MEA VK Singh to visit Iraq on 1 April to bring back mortal remains of 39 Indians, who were killed by ISIS in Mosul. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/w2U70lPH0R — ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2018 × Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, had earlier in 2015 evacuated over thousands of Indians from Yemen.

Gen VK Singh to bring back mortal remains of 39 Indians killed in Mosul

According to reports, one person has been killed and 2 injured in a ballistic missile attack on the capital city of Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The attack was reported to have been carried out by Yemen rebels.&nbsp;

The attack by the Shiite rebels was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen.

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The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels fired three missiles at Riyadh and four others at the southern cities of Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, with the coalition saying they all targeted populated areas.

"This aggressive and hostile action by the Iran-backed Huthi group proves that the Iranian regime continues to support the armed group with military capabilities," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said.

"The firing of multiple ballistic missiles towards cities is a serious development."

According to the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel, the rebels had targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport as well as other airstrips in the south of the kingdom.

The Saudi-led war in Yemen began in the year 2015. Since last year, nearly dozens of missiles have been fired into Saudi Arabia by the Huthi rebels all of them are reported to have been intercepted by Saudi forces. Another strike targeted Riyadh's Yamamah palace, the official residence of King Salman in December last year.&nbsp;

The Huthis plan a huge rally in Sanaa today to mark the war's third anniversary.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The attack, which injured two, was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen

According to reports, one person has been killed and 2 injured in a ballistic missile attack on the capital city of Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The attack was reported to have been carried out by Yemen rebels. The attack by the Shiite rebels was carried out on the eve of the third anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia says 1 person killed, 2 wounded in ballistic missile attack on kingdom's capital by Yemen rebels, reports the Associated Press. — ANI (@ANI) 25 March 2018 × The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels fired three missiles at Riyadh and four others at the southern cities of Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, with the coalition saying they all targeted populated areas. "This aggressive and hostile action by the Iran-backed Huthi group proves that the Iranian regime continues to support the armed group with military capabilities," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said. "The firing of multiple ballistic missiles towards cities is a serious development." According to the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel, the rebels had targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport as well as other airstrips in the south of the kingdom. The Saudi-led war in Yemen began in the year 2015. Since last year, nearly dozens of missiles have been fired into Saudi Arabia by the Huthi rebels all of them are reported to have been intercepted by Saudi forces. Another strike targeted Riyadh's Yamamah palace, the official residence of King Salman in December last year. The Huthis plan a huge rally in Sanaa today to mark the war's third anniversary. (With inputs from agencies)

Yemen rebels fire missiles at Riyadh, 1 killed

&nbsp;A suicide bombing hit Yemeni troops trained by the United Arab Emirates in the government bastion of Aden on Tuesday, a security source said, with at least five people dead or wounded.

The attack in the north of the port city hit an army mess hall serving the so-called Security Belt brigade, supported by government ally the UAE.

Several cars parked nearby were severely damaged.

Aden is controlled by the Yemeni government and its allies in a Saudi-led coalition, who are battling Shiite Huthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa and much of the north.

But it also hosts jihadists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, who have both claimed attacks in the city in recent years.

On Feb 24, twin suicide bombings claimed by IS hit a base of an Aden counter-terrorism unit, killing five people, including a child.

The government established its headquarters in Aden, Yemen&#39;s second city, after the rebels forced it out of the capital.

In Jan, Aden was rocked by deadly clashes that saw southern separatists seize much of the city from other pro-government forces.

The attack in the north of the port city hit an army mess hall serving the so-called Security Belt brigade, supported by government ally in the UAE

A suicide bombing hit Yemeni troops trained by the United Arab Emirates in the government bastion of Aden on Tuesday, a security source said, with at least five people dead or wounded. The attack in the north of the port city hit an army mess hall serving the so-called Security Belt brigade, supported by government ally the UAE. Several cars parked nearby were severely damaged. Aden is controlled by the Yemeni government and its allies in a Saudi-led coalition, who are battling Shiite Huthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa and much of the north. But it also hosts jihadists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, who have both claimed attacks in the city in recent years. On Feb 24, twin suicide bombings claimed by IS hit a base of an Aden counter-terrorism unit, killing five people, including a child. The government established its headquarters in Aden, Yemen's second city, after the rebels forced it out of the capital. In Jan, Aden was rocked by deadly clashes that saw southern separatists seize much of the city from other pro-government forces.

Suicide bombing hits Yemen's Aden, at least 5 people dead, wounded

Russia vetoed Monday a UN draft resolution presented by Britain and strongly backed by the United States that would have pressured Iran over its failure to block supplies of missiles to Yemen`s Huthi rebels.

Britain had sought to include in the measure renewing sanctions on Yemen an expression of &quot;particular concern&quot; from the Security Council over a UN report that found Iran had violated the 2015 arms embargo on Yemen.

The report by a UN panel of experts in January concluded that Iran was in violation after determining that missiles fired by the Huthis at Saudi Arabia last year were made in Iran.

The text, which was backed by France, other European countries and Kuwait, won 11 favorable votes at the 15-member Security Council but was blocked by Russia`s veto.&nbsp;

China and Kazakhstan abstained, while Bolivia also voted against the measure.

Nine votes and no vetoes from the five permanent council members -- Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States -- are required to adopt resolutions at the Security Council.

After hours of negotiations in a bid to reach a compromise, Russia made clear it had strong reservations about the findings of the UN report and would not support a draft resolution that mentioned them.

&quot;We cannot concur with uncorroborated conclusions and evidence which requires verification and discussions within the sanctions committee,&quot; Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council.

While the report found that Tehran had violated the embargo by failing to block the shipments, the experts said they were unable to identify the supplier.

Nebenzia warned that taking aim at Iran could have had &quot;dangerous destabilising ramifications&quot; in the Middle East by exacerbating tensions between Shiites and Sunnis.

After the veto, the council unanimously adopted a Russian-drafted measure that extended for one year the sanctions regime against Yemen, but that text made no mention of Iran.Iran has repeatedly denied arming the Huthis in Yemen, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia that the evidence of an arms connection is irrefutable.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley released a statement accusing Russia of shielding Iran and warned the United States would consider other ways to take action against Tehran.

&quot;Today, Russia protected the terrorist-sponsoring regime in Iran,&quot; said Haley, who was traveling to Honduras.

&quot;If Russia is going to use its veto to block action against Iran`s dangerous and destabilizing conduct, then the United States and our partners will need to take actions against Iran that the Russians cannot block.&quot;

Haley has taken a hawkish stance on Iran, accusing Tehran of sowing instability in the Middle East and failing to live up to its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

Russia, which has traditionally friendly relations with Iran, is providing military support along with Tehran to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s forces.

Iran`s mission to the United Nations charged that the United States and Britain had pushed an &quot;unwarranted draft resolution&quot; to advance an anti-Iran political agenda.

Iran &quot;categorically rejects allegations regarding arms transfer to Yemen,&quot; said a statement from the mission that described the draft resolution as an attempt to &quot;distract&quot; the world`s attention from the &quot;catastrophic humanitarian situation&quot; in Yemen.

A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen`s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a war that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world`s worst humanitarian crisis.

An alarming 17 million people in Yemen -- 60 per cent of the total population -- are in need of food aid, of whom seven million are on the brink of famine because of the conflict, according to the United Nations.

After hours of negotiations in a bid to reach a compromise, Russia made clear it had strong reservations about the findings of the UN report and would not support a draft resolution that mentioned them

Russia vetoed Monday a UN draft resolution presented by Britain and strongly backed by the United States that would have pressured Iran over its failure to block supplies of missiles to Yemen`s Huthi rebels. Britain had sought to include in the measure renewing sanctions on Yemen an expression of "particular concern" from the Security Council over a UN report that found Iran had violated the 2015 arms embargo on Yemen. The report by a UN panel of experts in January concluded that Iran was in violation after determining that missiles fired by the Huthis at Saudi Arabia last year were made in Iran. The text, which was backed by France, other European countries and Kuwait, won 11 favorable votes at the 15-member Security Council but was blocked by Russia`s veto. China and Kazakhstan abstained, while Bolivia also voted against the measure. Nine votes and no vetoes from the five permanent council members -- Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States -- are required to adopt resolutions at the Security Council. After hours of negotiations in a bid to reach a compromise, Russia made clear it had strong reservations about the findings of the UN report and would not support a draft resolution that mentioned them. "We cannot concur with uncorroborated conclusions and evidence which requires verification and discussions within the sanctions committee," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council. While the report found that Tehran had violated the embargo by failing to block the shipments, the experts said they were unable to identify the supplier. Nebenzia warned that taking aim at Iran could have had "dangerous destabilising ramifications" in the Middle East by exacerbating tensions between Shiites and Sunnis. After the veto, the council unanimously adopted a Russian-drafted measure that extended for one year the sanctions regime against Yemen, but that text made no mention of Iran.Iran has repeatedly denied arming the Huthis in Yemen, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia that the evidence of an arms connection is irrefutable. US Ambassador Nikki Haley released a statement accusing Russia of shielding Iran and warned the United States would consider other ways to take action against Tehran. "Today, Russia protected the terrorist-sponsoring regime in Iran," said Haley, who was traveling to Honduras. "If Russia is going to use its veto to block action against Iran`s dangerous and destabilizing conduct, then the United States and our partners will need to take actions against Iran that the Russians cannot block." Haley has taken a hawkish stance on Iran, accusing Tehran of sowing instability in the Middle East and failing to live up to its commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Russia, which has traditionally friendly relations with Iran, is providing military support along with Tehran to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s forces. Iran`s mission to the United Nations charged that the United States and Britain had pushed an "unwarranted draft resolution" to advance an anti-Iran political agenda. Iran "categorically rejects allegations regarding arms transfer to Yemen," said a statement from the mission that described the draft resolution as an attempt to "distract" the world`s attention from the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen`s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a war that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world`s worst humanitarian crisis. An alarming 17 million people in Yemen -- 60 per cent of the total population -- are in need of food aid, of whom seven million are on the brink of famine because of the conflict, according to the United Nations.

Russia vetoes Western bid at UN to pressure Iran over Yemen

Yemen&#39;s historic city of Zabid is under threat as a government military offensive closes in, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Tuesday, calling on the warring sides to protect the site.

&quot;The fighting in Hodeida governorate is at the gates of the historic city of Zabid, fanning fears for the fate of its cultural heritage,&quot; said Alexandre Faite, ICRC&#39;s head of delegation in Yemen.

Red Sea coastal site Zabid, which served as the capital of Yemen from the 13th to 15th centuries, is listed as a United Nations World Heritage Site for its unique architecture and deep connection to the spread of Islam.

The city, according to UNESCO, is home to the highest concentration of mosques in Yemen -- among them one of the world&#39;s earliest mosques, built by a companion of Islam&#39;s Prophet Mohammed.

It now lies on the fault lines of Yemen`s modern war, as government forces backed by Saudi-led air strikes press an offensive along the Red Sea coast.&nbsp;

The offensive, which has been gathering momentum in recent months, is aimed at retaking the key port of Hodeida from the Huthi rebels.&nbsp;Zabid -- under rebel control -- lies on its path.&nbsp;

&quot;The frontline is only kilometres from Zabid. Any destruction of cultural property there would mean that people, communities and all of humanity lose out,&quot; the ICRC&#39;s Faite said, calling on all parties to &quot;protect and respect&quot; the ancient city.

Yemen, rich in historic sites, has for years been embroiled in a bloody conflict between the Huthi rebels and a loosely aligned camp of government troops and separatist forces.&nbsp;

The capital, Sanaa, fell to the Iran-backed rebels in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led intervention the following year.&nbsp;

More than 9,200 Yemenis have been killed in the fighting since, while tens of thousands have been wounded, according to the World Health Organisation.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Yemen's historic city of Zabid is under threat as a government military offensive closes in

Yemen's historic city of Zabid is under threat as a government military offensive closes in, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Tuesday, calling on the warring sides to protect the site. "The fighting in Hodeida governorate is at the gates of the historic city of Zabid, fanning fears for the fate of its cultural heritage," said Alexandre Faite, ICRC's head of delegation in Yemen. Red Sea coastal site Zabid, which served as the capital of Yemen from the 13th to 15th centuries, is listed as a United Nations World Heritage Site for its unique architecture and deep connection to the spread of Islam. The city, according to UNESCO, is home to the highest concentration of mosques in Yemen -- among them one of the world's earliest mosques, built by a companion of Islam's Prophet Mohammed. It now lies on the fault lines of Yemen`s modern war, as government forces backed by Saudi-led air strikes press an offensive along the Red Sea coast. The offensive, which has been gathering momentum in recent months, is aimed at retaking the key port of Hodeida from the Huthi rebels. Zabid -- under rebel control -- lies on its path. "The frontline is only kilometres from Zabid. Any destruction of cultural property there would mean that people, communities and all of humanity lose out," the ICRC's Faite said, calling on all parties to "protect and respect" the ancient city. Yemen, rich in historic sites, has for years been embroiled in a bloody conflict between the Huthi rebels and a loosely aligned camp of government troops and separatist forces. The capital, Sanaa, fell to the Iran-backed rebels in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led intervention the following year. More than 9,200 Yemenis have been killed in the fighting since, while tens of thousands have been wounded, according to the World Health Organisation.

Yemen offensive threatens heritage site: ICRC

As many as eight soldiers and 19 suspected members of Al-Qaeda were killed in Yemen today in an offensive launched by the army against key extremist outposts.

United Arab Emirates-trained special forces along with Yemen&#39;s government launched an offensive &quot;Al-Faisal&quot; against Al-Qaeda cells over the weekend.&nbsp;

The army had captured Mesini Valley west of Mukalla city -- a central site for Al-Qaeda in Yemen from 2015 to 2016. The army and regional military allies seized control of the port city later on.&nbsp;

Close to ten thousand people have been killed in Yemen since 2015.

The Saudi-led coalition along with the government have been in fights with Iran-backed Huthi rebels.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, radical groups like the Islamic State flourished in the chaos, regularly launching attacks on the government and military targets.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Close to ten thousand people have been killed in Yemen since 2015

As many as eight soldiers and 19 suspected members of Al-Qaeda were killed in Yemen today in an offensive launched by the army against key extremist outposts. United Arab Emirates-trained special forces along with Yemen's government launched an offensive "Al-Faisal" against Al-Qaeda cells over the weekend. The army had captured Mesini Valley west of Mukalla city -- a central site for Al-Qaeda in Yemen from 2015 to 2016. The army and regional military allies seized control of the port city later on. Close to ten thousand people have been killed in Yemen since 2015. The Saudi-led coalition along with the government have been in fights with Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Meanwhile, radical groups like the Islamic State flourished in the chaos, regularly launching attacks on the government and military targets. (With inputs from AFP)

Yemen: 27 die in clashes as troops target Al-Qaeda

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kabul-on-high-alert-after-ambulance-bomb-toll-tops-100-30992">Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100</a>

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/roger-federer-wins-australian-open-2018-mens-singles-30991">Roger Federer wins Australian Open 2018 Men&#39;s Singles</a>

Switzerland&#39;s Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia&#39;s Marin Cilic on Sunday. The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/five-arrested-over-kabul-intercontinental-hotel-shooting-30990">Five arrested over Kabul Intercontinental hotel shooting</a>

Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 attack on the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul. At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-pm-accuses-separatists-of-coup-after-hq-takeover-30986">Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover</a>

Yemen&#39;s Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/anger-grows-in-kabul-after-attack-kills-nearly-100-30976">Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103</a>

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100 Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week. Roger Federer wins Australian Open 2018 Men's Singles Switzerland's Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic on Sunday. The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set. Five arrested over Kabul Intercontinental hotel shooting Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 attack on the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul. At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours. Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover Yemen's Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters. Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103 Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

WION Evening News Brief, January 28, 2018

Yemen&#39;s&nbsp;Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters.

The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists.

At least six people, including four from pro-government forces, were killed and dozens wounded in the clashes that spread to most of Aden, security sources said.

&quot;A coup is ongoing here in Aden against legitimacy and the country`s unity,&quot; Dagher said in the statement.

Security sources told AFP that pro-separatist units, trained and backed by the United Arab Emirates, had taken over the government headquarters in Aden after clashes with pro-government forces.

Dagher said that events in Aden were headed towards &quot;total military confrontation&quot; and urged members of the coalition, in particular the UAE, to take action.

The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists

Yemen's Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters. The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists. At least six people, including four from pro-government forces, were killed and dozens wounded in the clashes that spread to most of Aden, security sources said. "A coup is ongoing here in Aden against legitimacy and the country`s unity," Dagher said in the statement. Security sources told AFP that pro-separatist units, trained and backed by the United Arab Emirates, had taken over the government headquarters in Aden after clashes with pro-government forces. Dagher said that events in Aden were headed towards "total military confrontation" and urged members of the coalition, in particular the UAE, to take action.

Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover

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

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as &quot;undeniable&quot; evidence that a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-intercepts-yemen-rebel-missile-over-riyadh-state-media-27194" target="_blank">ballistic missile fired by Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia</a> in November was Iranian-made.

That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels.

Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base.&nbsp;

&quot;The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had &#39;Made in Iran&#39; stickers all over it,&quot; Haley told a press conference last month.

The &quot;evidence&quot; stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones.

Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting &quot;fabricated&quot; evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made.

Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran.

A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of &quot;common origin&quot; but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source.

The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington.

It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year.

Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump&#39;s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts.

The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump&#39;s Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation.

The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen's Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said. The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said. US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as "undeniable" evidence that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia in November was Iranian-made. That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels. Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base. "The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had 'Made in Iran' stickers all over it," Haley told a press conference last month. The "evidence" stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones. Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting "fabricated" evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made. Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran. A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of "common origin" but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source. The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington. It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year. Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts. The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump's Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation. The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

UN Security Council to inspect 'Iranian-made' missile debris

Since 2015, a Saudi-led coalition has waged war against Shia Houthi forces in Yemen. More than 8,000 people have been killed, and more than 49,000 injured; at least 69% of the population is reportedly in need of humanitarian assistance. Million of Yemenis are facing starvation. Weapons circulation is widespread and uncontrolled: in 2016, a UN report estimated that between 40m to 60m firearms were circulating freely in the country.

The conflict has had a devastating impact on the women of the country. Household breadwinners are usually men; many are fighting, injured or killed. There is an economic crisis in the private sector, and many public sector jobs are no longer paying salaries. The health and security of the female population is endangered by exposure to cholera and other diseases. And then there&rsquo;s the issue of child marriages: the severe poverty crisis means that prepubescent girls are married off to repay debts, or to raise funds to feed <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-war-the-girl-forced-to-marry-at-11-whose-story-exposes-the-conflicts-toll-on-children-a7125151.html">the rest of the family</a>.

A woman from the Northern Ibb region, which is occupied by the rebel Houthi army, explained the situation to a research team:

<blockquote>
We live in a state of lawlessness: no security, no protection and no functional law enforcement authorities. A person may be shot dead for a trivial thing. The security situation doesn&rsquo;t look like it did in the past. Now, there are informal groups behaving as if they were law enforcement authorities. These groups have power, and their power is the law. They use force against whoever disagrees with them or criticises their behaviour.
</blockquote>

As the feminist scholar Cynthia Enloe has pointed out, women are crucial for war and play supportive roles for the military. Indeed, many Yemeni women are not victims of war or just escaping or hiding from this war. In many contrasting ways, they are actively supporting it, and not only on humanitarian grounds.

Women engaging in war

Although many Yemeni women discourage their family members from taking part in the conflict and very few take up arms themselves, they also help recruit men to the army. They also support combatants by cooking food for them and helping to distribute it.

A young woman, Nasseem Al-Odaini, whose family has fled to the neighbouring Ibb region, stayed behind in Houthi-occupied Taiz and initiated an organisation that assist the combatants that support the former government. As she told Middle East Eye: &ldquo;We want to encourage the pro-government forces to advance in the province, by raising the spirits of the fighters&rdquo;.

Other Yemeni women try to mitigate the impact of the conflict the best way possible. For example, women engage in humanitarian relief and in providing social and psychological support for people who have been traumatised by the war. They also engage in peace processes when they initiate discussions of the conflict in their communities.

Since the war is not equally intense in every part of the country, there are better possibilities for women to participate in peace processes around the port city of Aden, in the south, than it is in the north, where the Houthi army has taken control and Saudi coalition airstrikes are part of everyday life. Accordingly, women&rsquo;s conditions and activities differ from one region to another.

A blocked momentum

In the north, local communities are more divided (between supporters and adversaries of the Houthi government) than in the south. When women enter the public and participate in charity work, they may be questioned by &ldquo;de facto authorities&rdquo; (read: the Houthi army) who, according to one woman, would try to prevent them from doing their work. They would also tell women that they are not allowed to appear in public before men:

<blockquote>
They [the Houthis] are opposed to women playing a role in public life. According to them, the woman&rsquo;s role is restricted to cooking and housework. They marginalise women; they deny their role in the community.
</blockquote>

Women in Northern and Southern parts of Yemen are not full citizens. According to Amnesty International, they &ldquo;face discrimination in matters of marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody, and the state fails to take adequate measures to prevent, investigate, and punish domestic violence&rdquo;. Discrimination against women in Yemen go back far beyond the war and are associated with local customs according to several studies. And yet, Yemeni women maintain their engagement in the development of their country.

An old engagement

During the popular uprising in the country in 2011 where hundreds of thousands of Yemenis followed the &ldquo;youth movement&rdquo; and protested against the corrupt reign of the then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemeni women took to the streets to an extent that was unforeseen and unprecedented.

Many women participants were independent of political groups, but in the later stages of the protests the Islamic Reform party &ndash; inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood &ndash; managed to take charge of the protest movement, raising independent women&rsquo;s concern that their rights would be disregarded.

However, independent women and women belonging to the political parties, including the Islamic Reform party and the Houthi political wing, Ansar Allah, constituted almost one third of participantsin the UN-guided National Dialogue Conference which followed the forced resignation of the President in November 2011. The aim of the 10 months long conference was to formulate a new and more democratic constitution for a united Yemen. However, the draft constitution which included a general 30% gender quota was rejected by the Houthi movement in September 2014, before the population had given their voice in a referendum.

By then disappointment with the process towards a new Yemen had given the Houthis wide popular support. They occupied major government institutions in the capital, Sana&#39;a and removed the transition government recognised internationally. Interestingly, it was not the gender quota which made the Houthis reject the draft constitution, but the view to a power-sharing model which did not give them what they expected.

The Houthi movement&rsquo;s occupation of the capital and seizure of government seemed to mark both the beginning of a war, and the end of momentum for women&rsquo;s rights in Yemen &ndash; a country which generally figures in the lowest ranks of Arab gender equality indexes. In 2014, a group of women from diverse political backgrounds pushed for political solutions instead of war. Since then they have been sidelined from peace negotiations &ndash; but that doesn&rsquo;t mean that Yemeni women have lost all hope.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-yemeni-women-are-fighting-the-war-89951" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many Yemeni women are not victims of war or just escaping or hiding from this war. In many contrasting ways, they are actively supporting it.

Since 2015, a Saudi-led coalition has waged war against Shia Houthi forces in Yemen. More than 8,000 people have been killed, and more than 49,000 injured; at least 69% of the population is reportedly in need of humanitarian assistance. Million of Yemenis are facing starvation. Weapons circulation is widespread and uncontrolled: in 2016, a UN report estimated that between 40m to 60m firearms were circulating freely in the country. The conflict has had a devastating impact on the women of the country. Household breadwinners are usually men; many are fighting, injured or killed. There is an economic crisis in the private sector, and many public sector jobs are no longer paying salaries. The health and security of the female population is endangered by exposure to cholera and other diseases. And then there’s the issue of child marriages: the severe poverty crisis means that prepubescent girls are married off to repay debts, or to raise funds to feed the rest of the family. A woman from the Northern Ibb region, which is occupied by the rebel Houthi army, explained the situation to a research team: We live in a state of lawlessness: no security, no protection and no functional law enforcement authorities. A person may be shot dead for a trivial thing. The security situation doesn’t look like it did in the past. Now, there are informal groups behaving as if they were law enforcement authorities. These groups have power, and their power is the law. They use force against whoever disagrees with them or criticises their behaviour. As the feminist scholar Cynthia Enloe has pointed out, women are crucial for war and play supportive roles for the military. Indeed, many Yemeni women are not victims of war or just escaping or hiding from this war. In many contrasting ways, they are actively supporting it, and not only on humanitarian grounds. Women engaging in war Although many Yemeni women discourage their family members from taking part in the conflict and very few take up arms themselves, they also help recruit men to the army. They also support combatants by cooking food for them and helping to distribute it. A young woman, Nasseem Al-Odaini, whose family has fled to the neighbouring Ibb region, stayed behind in Houthi-occupied Taiz and initiated an organisation that assist the combatants that support the former government. As she told Middle East Eye: “We want to encourage the pro-government forces to advance in the province, by raising the spirits of the fighters”. Other Yemeni women try to mitigate the impact of the conflict the best way possible. For example, women engage in humanitarian relief and in providing social and psychological support for people who have been traumatised by the war. They also engage in peace processes when they initiate discussions of the conflict in their communities. Since the war is not equally intense in every part of the country, there are better possibilities for women to participate in peace processes around the port city of Aden, in the south, than it is in the north, where the Houthi army has taken control and Saudi coalition airstrikes are part of everyday life. Accordingly, women’s conditions and activities differ from one region to another. A blocked momentum In the north, local communities are more divided (between supporters and adversaries of the Houthi government) than in the south. When women enter the public and participate in charity work, they may be questioned by “de facto authorities” (read: the Houthi army) who, according to one woman, would try to prevent them from doing their work. They would also tell women that they are not allowed to appear in public before men: They [the Houthis] are opposed to women playing a role in public life. According to them, the woman’s role is restricted to cooking and housework. They marginalise women; they deny their role in the community. Women in Northern and Southern parts of Yemen are not full citizens. According to Amnesty International, they “face discrimination in matters of marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody, and the state fails to take adequate measures to prevent, investigate, and punish domestic violence”. Discrimination against women in Yemen go back far beyond the war and are associated with local customs according to several studies. And yet, Yemeni women maintain their engagement in the development of their country. An old engagement During the popular uprising in the country in 2011 where hundreds of thousands of Yemenis followed the “youth movement” and protested against the corrupt reign of the then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemeni women took to the streets to an extent that was unforeseen and unprecedented. Many women participants were independent of political groups, but in the later stages of the protests the Islamic Reform party – inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood – managed to take charge of the protest movement, raising independent women’s concern that their rights would be disregarded. However, independent women and women belonging to the political parties, including the Islamic Reform party and the Houthi political wing, Ansar Allah, constituted almost one third of participantsin the UN-guided National Dialogue Conference which followed the forced resignation of the President in November 2011. The aim of the 10 months long conference was to formulate a new and more democratic constitution for a united Yemen. However, the draft constitution which included a general 30% gender quota was rejected by the Houthi movement in September 2014, before the population had given their voice in a referendum. By then disappointment with the process towards a new Yemen had given the Houthis wide popular support. They occupied major government institutions in the capital, Sana'a and removed the transition government recognised internationally. Interestingly, it was not the gender quota which made the Houthis reject the draft constitution, but the view to a power-sharing model which did not give them what they expected. The Houthi movement’s occupation of the capital and seizure of government seemed to mark both the beginning of a war, and the end of momentum for women’s rights in Yemen – a country which generally figures in the lowest ranks of Arab gender equality indexes. In 2014, a group of women from diverse political backgrounds pushed for political solutions instead of war. Since then they have been sidelined from peace negotiations – but that doesn’t mean that Yemeni women have lost all hope. 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)

Opinion: How Yemeni women are fighting the war

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