Houthi threat to Red Sea draws US military support for Saudi Arabia (Reuters photo)
Another source familiar with the cooperation said Washington was providing “geospatial” targeting support for Saudi strikes against the Houthis. Military sources said the group seized the port city of Mocha on Thursday and moved towards strategic islands, including Hanish.
Yemeni government military sources said the advances had given the Houthis greater leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea and one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. The Houthi-run humanitarian operations coordination centre said Red Sea navigation remained safe for all shipping companies except Saudi vessels. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the operations were defensive and would stop once attacks on Yemen ended. Meanwhile, Pakistan has conveyed a Saudi warning to Iran to rein in its Houthi allies, according to Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources. It added, however, that Pakistan would act when the “time comes”.
Pakistan said on Thursday that there had been no discussions about a military response under the Mecca agreement following the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.