Cairo (Egypt), 14 Sept. (LaPresse/AP) – Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have seized control of further strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, thereby strengthening their hold on a key maritime shipping route. The news was confirmed on Monday by Yemeni government officials and Houthi representatives. According to two government officials and a Houthi spokesperson, the rebels have deployed fighters to the islands of Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, situated 160 kilometres north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis took control of the islands following the withdrawal from the archipelago of hundreds of troops from forces allied with the government; this was reported by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to make statements to journalists. The takeover of the islands came after the rebels had seized the port city of Mokha and the island of Mayun – situated within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – from Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, last week.
Yemen: Houthis seize control of further islands in the Red Sea
Cairo (Egypt), 14 Sept. (LaPresse/AP) – Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have seized control of further strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, thereby strengthening their hold on a key maritime shipping route. The news was confirmed on Monday by Yemeni government officials and Houthi representatives. According to two government officials and a Houthi spokesperson, the rebels have deployed fighters to the islands of Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, situated 160 kilometres north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis took control of the islands following the withdrawal from the archipelago of hundreds of troops from forces allied with the government; this was reported by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to make statements to journalists. The takeover of the islands came after the rebels had seized the port city of Mokha and the island of Mayun – situated within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – from Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, last week.