Yemen's Houthi rebels said they attacked the American aircraft carrier Harry S Truman in the Red Sea on Monday after two US strikes on the capital, Sanaa, and a detention centre for African migrants in the northern Saada governorate, the group's spokesman said.
Cruise and ballistic missiles and drones were launched towards the carrier group, Lt Col Yahya Saree said. “The resulting engagement and confrontation forced the carrier to retreat from its previous position and head to the far north of the Red Sea,” he added.
A video on the Houthis' Al Masirah satellite news channel showed what appeared to be people killed or injured in an explosion.
“The civil defence has announced that 68 African migrants were killed and 47 others wounded in the US attack targeting a centre for illegal migrants in the city of Saada,” Al Masirah said. “Civil defence teams and the Red Crescent are continuing their efforts at the scene of the American crime.”
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on Monday that it is targeting three vessels and their owners for providing support to the Houthis.
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to disrupt the Houthis’ efforts to fund their dangerous and destabilising attacks in the region,” the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender said in a statement. “Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to target those who seek to enable the Houthis’ ability to exploit the people of Yemen and continue their campaign of violence.”
Ethiopians and other African migrants have for years been arriving in Yemen, crossing war zones in an effort to reach Gulf states in search of work. The Houthis are alleged to make tens of thousands of dollars a week smuggling migrants to Saudi Arabia.
Witnesses, formerly detained in the same centre, told The National that African migrants arrive to Saada in attempts to cross over to Saudi Arabia.
The witnesses added that the Africans killed in the strike had been detained in a huge separate building, about 2km away from the main centre but inside the same complex.
A source from an international organisation said that the Africans were in custody pending drugs smuggling related cases and that the detention centre was hit by three strikes at dawn.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said it was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life in Sadaa, and remains “committed to closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to offer support as needed”.
“We call on all parties to the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians and ensure full respect for International Laws.”
The US has been carrying out an intensified bombing campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis over the past month in an attempt to stop the rebels from attacking international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis say they are launching attacks in solidarity with Hamas as it fights against Israeli troops in Gaza.
On Sunday night, US air strikes also hit Yemen's capital Sanaa, killing eight people, the Houthis said. Al Masirah broadcast video of wrecked cars and rubble from homes, while rescuers collected what appeared to be human remains.
An overnight statement from US Central Command said its Operation Roughrider had since March 15 hit more than 800 targets and “killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders”.
The strikes destroyed command-and-control centres, air defence systems, weapons manufacturing and storage locations, the US Central Command said.
“We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region,” it added.
US strikes on Yemen started in January last year but have increased since President Donald Trump took office this year in an attempt to stop the Houthi attacks on shipping.
From November 2023 until January this year, the Houthis attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 per cent of the world's marine traffic.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Getting%20there%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
BABYLON
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Damien%20Chazelle%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Margot%20Robbie%2C%20Jean%20Smart%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
More on animal trafficking
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
FIGHT%20CARD
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Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
The%20specs
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The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
More about Middle East geopolitics
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid