Yemen

Iraq retracts terror label for Hezbollah, Houthis, cites publication error

Iraq's government on Thursday retracted a terror designation for Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group and Yemen's Houthi rebels, just weeks after imposing the measure it now says was a mistake. The government's retraction came hours after reports first circulated about the designation, which was an error made before reviewing," according to a statement. The initial decision, published in the official Iraqi gazette on November 17, had placed the two groups both allies of Iran and also Iraq's Shiite militias among 24 organisations targeted under a national asset freeze order, accusing them of participating in committing a terrorist act. Iraq is under increasing pressure from the United States to clamp down on local Iran-backed militias. Baghdad is also struggling to balance its relations with Washington and Tehran, amid fears of a new Israel-Iran war that could spill over into neighbouring countries. The names of Hezbollah and the Houthis will be removed" in a corrected publication o

Houthis free Kerala sailor after nearly five-month detention in Yemen

An Indian national from Kerala, who was in detention of Houthi rebels in war-torn Yemen since early July, has been released. Anilkumar Raveendran was among the crew members of cargo ship MV Eternity C. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India welcomes the release of Raveendran, who was under detention in Yemen since July 7. "He reached Muscat yesterday and is expected to travel back to India soon," it said. The MEA said the government had been coordinating efforts with various parties to ensure his safe release and return. "The government of India would like to thank the Sultanate of Oman for facilitating the release of Anilkumar Raveendran," it said in a brief statement.

Hegseth's use of Signal posed risk to US personnel, finds Pentagon watchdog

The Pentagon's watchdog found that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put US personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen, two people familiar with the findings said Wednesday. Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the report's findings who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the information. CNN first reported the initial findings. The review by the Pentagon inspector general's office was delivered to lawmakers, who were able to review the report in a classified facility at the Capitol. A partially redacted version of the report was expected to be released publicly later this week. The findings ramp up the pressure on the former Fox News Channel host after lawmakers had called for the independent inquiry into his use of the commercially available app

Houthis detain two UN staffers, raid homes in Yemen amid operational review

Houthi rebels detained two additional United Nations staff members and raided the homes of several others in Yemen over the last 48 hours, the latest in a series of events now forcing the world body to reassess how it operates in the war-torn country. The detainment of two staffers was confirmed by Farhan Haqq, the deputy U.N. spokesperson, on Friday. Three officials with the World Food Program confirmed the raids on the homes of Yemeni staff and the U.N. facility took place on Thursday and Friday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak on the matter. Since 2021, the de facto authorities have taken a number of steps that have made it increasingly difficult for the UN to provide assistance to Yemenis," Haqq told reporters. "These actions are forcing us to reassess the way in which we work in areas controlled by the Houthis. The detainment marks the latest in a series of escalations by the armed group against both national and ...

New airstrip emerges on Yemeni island as Houthis face increasing pressure

A new airstrip is being built on a volcanic island in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, satellite images show, likely the latest project by forces allied to those opposed to the country's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The airstrip on Zuqar Island provides yet another link in a network of offshore bases in a region key to international shipping, where the Houthis already have attacked over 100 ships, sank four vessels and killed at least nine mariners during the Israel-Hamas war. It could give a military force the ability to conduct aerial surveillance over the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the strategic, narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the two waterways off East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Still, it remains unclear what would trigger the airstrip to be used for a military campaign. The United Arab Emirates, which has built other runways in the region, did not respond to requests for comment. Nor did Yemen's anti-Houthi forces, divided by warring interests and unable t

23 Indian crew members rescued from burning LPG tanker off Yemen coast

23 Indian crew members onboard MV Falcon, which caught fire and was adrift off the Yemen coast following an explosion, have been rescued and safely handed over to the Djiboutian Coast Guard. The Cameroon-flagged MV Falcon, which was sailing southeast of the port of Aden, Yemen, with destination Djibouti, caught fire after an explosion onboard on Saturday. The vessel was fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Upon receipt of an urgent distress request from the vessel's master, UNAVFOR ASPIDES, a purely defensive operation that protects civilian ships and crews navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, initiated a search operation. EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, under the coordination of Rear Admiral Andrea Quondamatteo, Force Commander of ASPIDES, has successfully coordinated a SAR (SEARCH AND RESCUE) operation," a statement released by ASPIDES said. MV MEDA successfully rescued 24 crewmembers of MV FALCON (1 Ukrainian and 23 Indians), it added. The MV Falcon was escorted to the P

Israeli airstrike kills top Houthi military chief, escalating tensions

An Israeli airstrike targeting the top leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels in August killed the chief of staff of its military, officials said on Thursday, further escalating tensions between the group and Israel even as a ceasefire holds in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have acknowledged the killing of Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, who had been sanctioned by the United Nations over his role in the country's decadelong war. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said al-Ghamari died of wounds he suffered in the attack and had joined "his fellow members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell". Katz referred to the strike as "the strike of the firstborn", likely a reference to a series of strikes Israel conducted on August 28. That attack killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and others. However, analysts suggested al-Ghamari may have been wounded in a different attack targeting the secretive group. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also acknowledged Israel killing ..

Yemen Houthi rebel's military chief of staff dies after Israeli airstrike

An Israeli airstrike targeting the top leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels in August killed the chief of staff of its military, officials said Thursday, further escalating tensions between the group and Israel even as a ceasefire holds in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have acknowledged the killing of Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, who had been sanctioned by the United Nations over his role in the country's decade-long war. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the killing, saying that al-Ghamari died of wounds he suffered in the attack and had joined his fellow members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell. Katz referred to the strike as the strike of the firstborn, a reference to a series of strikes Israel conducted on August 28. That strike killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi. He was the highest-ranking official within the group to be killed by Israeli strikes that targeted the rebels over their attacks on Israel and shipping in the Red Sea corridor. T

Execution of Indian nurse on Yemen death row has been stayed: SC told

The Supreme Court was on Thursday informed that execution of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen for murder, was stayed and nothing adverse was happening. Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a new mediator has stepped into the matter. "What has happened to the execution?" the bench asked. The counsel appearing for petitioner organisation 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council', which is extending legal support to Priya, said the execution was stayed as of now. "There is a new mediator who has stepped into the picture," Venkataramani said, adding, "The only good thing is, nothing adverse is happening". The petitioner's counsel said the matter may be adjourned. "List in January 2026. It will be open for the parties to apply for early listing in case the situation so demands," the bench said. The top court was hearing a plea seeking direction to the Centre to use diplo

Houthis detain nine more UN staff in Yemen amid ongoing crackdown

Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have detained nine employees of the United Nations as part of a long-running crackdown on the organisation, the UN said. The detentions bring the number of detained UN workers in Houthi-held territories in Yemen to 53 since 2021, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement late Monday. No details about the circumstances or timing of the latest detentions were given. Dujarric said the crackdown has impeded the UN's ability to operate in Yemen and to deliver critical assistance to the local population in the Arab world's poorest country. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff as well as workers from other international organisations and diplomatic missions who have been detained by the rebels. They must be respected and protected in accordance with applicable international law, Dujarric said. A spokesman for the rebels did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment. The rebels have previously said that th

Israel strikes Yemeni port of Hodeida as Houthis activate air defences

Israel on Tuesday launched airstrikes on the Yemeni city of Hodeida as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels activated air defences. The Israeli military said in an update that it struck military infrastructure used by the Houthis at Hodeida port. The Hudaydah Port is used by the Houthi terrorist regime for the transfer of weapons supplied by the Iranian regime, in order to execute attacks against the State of Israel and its allies, the statement read. Our air defences are currently confronting the Israeli aircrafts that are launching an aggression against our country, Houthi spokesperson Yayha Saree posted on X. Saree said in a statement that the Houthi air defences caused great confusion for Israeli aircraft and forced some combat formations to leave Yemeni airspace before carrying out the attacks, thwarting Israel's incursion deep into Yemen. Earlier Israeli strikes targeted Sanaa The latest strikes came as hundreds attended funeral services for 31 Yemeni journalists who were reported

Houthi drone strikes Israel's Ramon Airport, causes flight disruptions

A drone fired by the Houthi militants in Yemen breached Israel's multilayered air defences on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli military said, briefly shutting down commercial airspace and diverting flights over southern Israel. Israel said Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked with several drones, most of which were intercepted outside of Israel. At least one of the drones slipped through Israel's defence system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, blowing out glass windows and sending smoke plumes billowing. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said it treated a 63-year-old man for light shrapnel wounds. The damage to Ramon Airport appeared limited and within a couple of hours it reopened as normal flights resumed. The attack comes days after Israeli strikes on Yemen's rebel-held capi

Yemen's Houthi rebels launch missile that lands near oil tanker in Red Sea

Yemen's Houthi rebels said Monday they launched a missile at an oil tanker off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, potentially renewing their attacks targeting shipping through the crucial global waterway. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the launch in a prerecorded message aired on al-Masirah, a Houthi-controlled satellite news channel. He alleged the vessel, the Scarlet Ray, had ties to Israel. The ship's owners could not be immediately reached. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which monitors Mideast shipping, earlier reported a ship heard a splash and a bang off its side near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. In their campaign so far, the Houthis have sank four vessels and killed at least eight mariners. The Iranian-backed Houthis stopped their attacks durin

Houthis raid UN offices in Yemen's capital, detain 11 staff members

Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday raided offices of the United Nations' food, health and children's agencies in Yemen's capital, detaining 11 UN employees, officials said. The rebels tightened security across Sanaa following the Israeli killing of their prime minister and several Cabinet members. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that security forces raided the agencies' offices in the Houthi-controlled capital on Sunday morning. Also raided were offices of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, according to a UN official and a Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief the media. The UN official said armed forces raided the offices and questioned employees in the parking lot. Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said a number of the agency's staffers were detained, and UNICEF was seeking additional information from the Houthis. Both Etefa and Ammar said their agencies were conducti

Israeli airstrike kills Houthi rebel prime minister in Yemen's Sanaa

An Israeli airstrike killed the prime minister of the Houthi rebel-controlled government in Yemen's capital Sanaa, the Houthis said Saturday. He was the most senior Houthi official killed in the Israeli-U.S. campaign against the Iranian-backed rebels. Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in Thursday's strike in Sanaa along with a number of ministers, the rebels said in a statement. Other ministers and officials were wounded, the statement added without providing details. The premier was targeted along with other members of his Houthi-controlled government during a routine workshop held by the government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year, the Houthi statement said. Thursday's strike took place as the rebel-owned television station was broadcasting a speech by Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the secretive leader of the rebel group, in which he was sharing updates on the latest Gaza developments and vowing retaliation against Israel. Senior Houthi officials used to gather to .

At least 6 dead, 86 injured in Israeli strikes targeting Houthis in Yemen

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's capital on Sunday, days after Houthi rebels fired a missile toward Israel that its military described as the first cluster bomb the rebels had launched at it since 2023. The Iranian-backed Houthis said multiple areas across Sanaa were hit. The Houthi-run health ministry said at least two people were killed and 35 others were wounded. The rebels' Al-Masirah satellite television reported a strike on an oil company, and video on social media showed a fireball erupting there. Israel's military said it struck the Asar and Hizaz power plants, calling them a significant electricity supply facility for military activities, along with a military site where the presidential palace is located. Sanaa residents told The Associated Press they heard explosions close to a closed military academy and the presidential palace. They saw plumes of smoke near Sabeen Square, a central gathering place in the capital. The sounds of explosions were very strong, said Hussein .

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's capital, targeting Iran-backed rebels

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's capital, Sanaa, early on Sunday, just days after the country's Iran-backed rebels fired cluster munitions toward Israel, according to a local media report. The rebel Houthi-run al-Masirah channel reported the strikes, the first to hit the rebel-held Sanaa since August 17, when Israel said targeted energy infrastructure it believed was used by the rebels. Israel has not confirmed Sunday's attack. The Iran-backed Houthis have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea for more than 22 months. They say they are carrying out the attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the war in the Gaza Strip. They are usually intercepted before landing in Israel. An Israeli Air Force official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said the projectile fired from Yemen towards Israel on Friday night marked a new threat. The missile was a cluster munition a projectile that is supposed to detonate

SC to hear plea against unverified public statements in Kerala nurse case

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea for directions to restrain persons, organisations and others from making "unverified public statements" about the case of Indian nurse and murder accused Nimisha Priya who is on death row in Yemen. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta told the petitioner to serve a copy of the plea to the office of Attorney General R Venkataramani. The bench issued notice on the plea and posted the matter for August 25. Petitioner K A Paul, who appeared in person, said he had received a "shocking letter" from Priya and he was in Yemen for past several days. "Her mother is taking care, why are you worried?" the bench asked Paul. The petitioner said the letter was signed by Priya and her mother. "Both sides respect me as a peacemaker. Since 1992, I am going to Yemen. Problem there is the war. Problem there is that she was caught and she was a victim," he said. The petitioner said he had spoken to the victim's family, the Houthis leader

Nimisha Priya on death row: SC told talks ongoing, no immediate threat

The Supreme Court was informed on Thursday that there was "no immediate threat" to Indian nurse Nimisha Priya who is on death row in Yemen for murder. It then listed the matter after eight weeks. The counsel for petitioner organisation Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, which is extending legal support to Priya, requested a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta to adjourn the matter. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save the 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad in Kerala who was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. "Negotiations are going on. As of now there is no immediate threat. Kindly adjourn it by four weeks. Hopefully, everything will be over by that time," the counsel said. "Let this matter be listed after eight weeks," the bench then said. The petitioner's counsel said they would mention the matter before the top court if there was any urgency. The top court was appr

Yemen's leader praises deep-rooted friendship, cooperative ties with India

Yemen's top leader Rashad Al-Alimi has praised the "cooperative" bilateral relations and "deep-rooted friendship" his country shares with India, in a meeting with the Indian envoy. Al-Alimi, who heads the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen, met with the Indian Ambassador Suhel Khan on Sunday in Riyadh. "Amb. Dr Suhel Khan called on Chairman, Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen H.E. Dr Rashad Al-Alimi @PresidentRashad today in Riyadh, along with DCM Shri Abu Mathen & First Secretary Shri Rishi Tripathi. They discussed India-Yemen relations & other issues of mutual interests," the Indian mission said in an X post. Al-Alimi "praised the bilateral cooperative relations and deep-rooted friendship," according to an official statement by his office. He expressed his appreciation for India's "historical stance in support of the Yemeni people and its legitimate government, including humanitarian interventions such as shipments of wheat, medical supplies, medicines, and ...