Iranian cargo ships for Houthis in Yemen reverse course – US
WASHINGTON — A US defense official said the convoy of Iranian cargo ships that had been headed toward war-torn Yemen, possibly with advanced weaponry for Houthi rebels, has reversed its direction, at least temporarily.
The official said it remains unclear where the nine-ship convoy may be headed now, but as of Thursday it was no longer moving in the direction of the Yemeni port of Aden.
The official was not authorized to discuss ship movements publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that the Iranian ships might be carrying weapons to the Houthis, but he would not say whether the U.S. would forcibly stop and board one of the Iranian ships if it entered Yemeni waters.
Meanwhile, in Sanaa, attempts to ease fighting in Yemen appeared to falter Thursday, as Shiite rebels pressed an offensive in the south and a Saudi Arabialed coalition intensified its airstrikes less than two days after it said it was scaling back the campaign.
All sides have declared their willingness to enter talks, but none has taken any steps to end the conflict that has killed more than 1,000 people.
Still, the head of UN operations in Yemen said in an interview with The Associated Press that a renewal of such talks is "inevitable," and behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts could bring results in the coming weeks.
The battle in the Arab world's poorest country pits the Iranian-backed rebels known as Houthis and their allies — military units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh — against the Saudi-led coalition and the forces of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Although Hadi is the internationally recognized leader, he was forced to flee his southern stronghold of Aden last month as the Houthis advanced toward the port. He is in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
Western governments and the Sunni Arab countries in the coalition say the Houthis get their arms from Shiite powerhouse Iran. Tehran and the rebels deny that, although the Islamic Republic has provided political and humanitarian support to the Shiite group.
Warplanes hammered Aden, hitting hotels and a police club occupied by the Houthis and their allies. Heavy strikes also hit positions in five other cities, many of them gateways to Aden, officials said.
At least six airstrikes targeted an air base, a military camp, and weapon caches in the western port of Houdida. In the western city of Taiz, jets bombed the headquarters of Battalion 35, led by pro-Saleh commanders. In the nearby city of Ibb, the planes targeted educational facilities suspected of storing weapons, officials said. (AP)