US-European condemnation of the Houthi attack on the port of Al-Daba … a clear threat to maritime trade

Today, Saturday, Washington and the European Union condemned the attack launched yesterday by the Houthis on the port of Al-Daba in the Governorate of Hadramout, calling for the immediate cessation of these attacks that put in international trade is threatened.

The US ambassador in Yemen, Stephen Fagin, said in a statement published by the US Embassy on Twitter that such attacks constitute an “insult” to the rights and freedom of navigation, threaten the security of Yemen, hinder the flow of essential goods and cause greater economic instability.

He added: “We remind the Houthis that the world is watching their actions and that the only way forward towards the end of eight years of devastating conflict is to reduce escalation and redouble efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire and end the conflict in Yemen through a negotiated political solution “.

The ambassador urged all parties to exercise restraint in this “sensitive” moment, stressing that the only way to guarantee the payment of salaries, the freedom of movement of Yemenis through roads, ports and airports and an end to violence is to extend the truce.

The European Union condemned the attack launched by the Houthis with two drones on the oil port of Al-Daba, stressing that what it called a clear threat to international maritime trade is “unacceptable”.

In a statement, the union said the Houthi attacks on international shipping constitute “a violation of fundamental principles of the law of the sea, since they place in they threaten the freedom of navigation through the inland waterways in the region and prevent access to Yemeni ports “.

The declaration, issued by the EU mission and the diplomatic missions of its member states in Yemen, added that these attacks “would also deprive Yemenis of the ability to afford basic necessities and could affect the flow of essential goods into Yemen”.

The statement stressed the need to “reduce tensions, reduce escalation and redouble efforts to end the conflict. in Yemen through a negotiated solution “, underlining the union’s continued support for the efforts of the UN envoy in Yemen, Hans Grundberg, to renew the armistice and reach a political solution.

On Friday, the Houthi militia, the Iranian arm in Yemen, launched a two-drone attack on the Al-Dabba oil port in the city of Mukalla in Hadramout governorate in the south-east of the country.

Hadhramaut governor Mabkhout bin Madi confirmed in a video statement that two Houthi drones with booby traps targeted the oil port of Al-Daba, east of Mukalla.

He explained that the Houthi militia launched two explosive marches to target the oil port of Dabba, in coinciding with the arrival of the ship carrying crude oil shipments from the port.

Bin Madi indicated that a Houthi march was shot down and no human or material damage was caused in this attack, noting that the Houthi attack was launched by a ‘area between Marib and Al-Jawf.

Hadhramaut governor confirmed measures are being taken with the government and coalition countries to prevent such incidents.

Local residents in the city of Shihr and in the vicinity of the port reported hearing explosions at 2pm, followed by the closure of all roads leading to the port by security and military forces.

The attack comes about two weeks after the Houthi militia threatened to target international oil and shipping companies on the eve of the end of the truce.

UN efforts to reach an agreement to renew and extend the truce that expired earlier this month have so far faltered, due to the Houthi militia imposing additional demands described as unacceptable.

Houthi confession

The Houthi group admitted that it targeted the oil port of Dabba in Hadramout governorate on Friday.

The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree ‘, said in a statement on his Twitter account that the group’s forces carried out a “small warning attack” to prevent an oil ship from trying to load crude through the port of Al-Daba in Hadramout Governorate.

The spokesman added that the Houthi group “will not hesitate to stop and prevent any ships” in future.