A senior US general says Iran's support for Houthi rebels extends to helping them target ships belonging to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.
General Robert Ashley, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that "low-cost, high-payoff support" from Tehran has helped the Houthis "improve their military and missile capabilities, demonstrated through missile launches against targets in Saudi Arabia and Saudi-led coalition ships in the Red Sea".
This now includes "anti-ship missiles, explosive-laden boats, and mines," he said, making the Yemen war a "threat to vital international shipping lanes through the Red Sea".
Gen Ashley said Iran's regional goals were undiminished.
"Iran is poised to wield the most power in a post-conflict environment" in Syria, he said.
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Read more:
Houthi landmines take tragic toll on Yemeni civilians
US general: Iran achieved in five years in Yemen what it did in Lebanon in two decades
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"We expect Iran to transition to efforts that secure and increase its long-term influence and to look for new opportunities to challenge its regional adversaries."
In Iraq, this will take form in Iran leveraging "its aligned PMF (Hasd Shaabi) and Shia militia groups, as well as its longstanding political and societal ties as its main avenues of influence to pressure Baghdad to expel US and coalition forces and prevent Kurdish separatism".
As the ISIL territorial threat recedes, Shia militia groups, including those loyal to Iran, "are likely to pose an increasing threat to US forces", the general said.
And in Syria, Iran's presence "not only benefits the (Bashar Al) Assad regime, it represents a key step toward Iran's goal of a land bridge from Tehran through Iraq and Syria into Lebanon".
Gen Ashley said that after the nuclear deal - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - agreed in 2015 but enacted in January the following year, the Iranian government increased funding to its security forces. However, with the latest protests in Iran driven by economic difficulties, the US commander said spending on domestic programmes will remain the priority for Tehran in the near term.
With regard to Iran's military capabilities, Gen Ashley said that in 2017, Tehran tested and fielded its Russian-made SA-20c surface-to-air missile system.
In the long run, "Tehran is pursuing long-range, precision land-attack cruise missiles, which present a new type of threat in the region" and "is also developing more powerful space launch vehicles and technologies that enable development of long-range missile subsystems", he said.
His testimony came as President Donald Trump's government is consulting with regional partners on a counter-Iran strategy, and with European powers on measures to amend few provisions in the JCPOA or otherwise abandon it in May.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.