The UAE Foreign Minister said there was an urgent need for a successful political process in Yemen.
It is “deeply concerning” the Yemen crisis is not holding the attention of the global community despite an urgent need for a successful political process to aid the Yemeni people, said Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, on Sunday morning.
Later in the day, Saudi Arabia announced they had foiled an “imminent” attack from an explosive-laden boat in the southern Red Sea. The remotely-operated boat originated from Houthi forces stationed in Hodeida, Saudi press agency SPA said.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have blocked half of the United Nations’ aid delivery programmes in the war-torn country, a strong-arm tactic to force the agency to give them greater control over the massive humanitarian campaign, along with a portion of the billions of dollars in foreign assistance flowing through the country, according to aid officials and internal documents obtained by the Associated Press.
The Houthis’ obstruction has hindered several programmes that feed the near-starving Yemeni population and help those displaced by the nearly six-year civil war, a senior UN spokesman said.
Last week, 19 children were among 31 people killed in air strikes in Yemen’s rebel-held northern territory of Al Jawf, the UN reported.
Last Friday, Saudi Arabia intercepted ballistic missiles that were launched from Yemen “in a systematic, deliberate manner to target cities and civilians,” Saudi coalition spokesman Col Turki Al Malki told the state Spa news agency.
Saudi Arabia is commonly targeted by long-range ballistic missiles and drone attacks carried out by the Houthi rebels.
A recent report by UK-based think tank Conflict Armament Research detailed how the Houthis have developed more powerful drones with the help of Iran.
