Houthis attacked vessel as planned by Iran’s IRGC: Arab Coalition

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Iranian Revolutionary Guards masterminded the hijacking of the United Arab Emirates-flagged cargo vessel by Houthis, said Arab Coalition yesterday, presenting a set of photos and videos.

Coalition spokesman Brig Gen Turki al-Maliki, in a press briefing, also accused Iran-backed Houthis of violating international navigation in the Red Sea.

Al-Maliki said the “piracy and kidnappings” by the Houthis militia violated international laws.

The Coalition spokesman said the Houthis launched 432 ballistic missiles from Yemen’s Hodeida port, in addition to 100 booby-trapped boats to target navigation in the Red Sea.

He said the Arab Coalition had reported 13 violations against commercial ships by Houthi militia from Hodeida, pointing to the destruction of dozens of mines planted by the militia in the Red Sea.

Reports earlier said the hijacked ship was heading to the Saudi port of Jizan, just north of Yemen, from the Yemeni Red Sea island of Socotra when it was attacked off the western Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

Houthis’ actions turn Yemen ports into legitimate targets

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said that Houthis’ use of civilian sites as fortresses will turn Hodeidah and Salif ports into legitimate military targets, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said yesterday.

“We do not want to target the ports...

We want to reach a comprehensive political solution, but when they use civilian sites... they forfeit the immunity... thus it (Hodeidah and Salif ports) will be a legitimate military target.”

alif ports) will be a legitimate military target.”