All news

UAE top diplomat requests US to reinstate terrorist designation for Houthis — portal

Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the latest attack on civilian targets in Abu Dhabi, and the hijacking of a UAE-flagged ship, fall squarely in that category

WASHINGTON, January 18. /TASS/. In a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan requested the United States to reinstate its terrorist designation for Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, the Axios portal reported citing sources in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"During the call between Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed and Secretary Blinken, there was a discussion regarding the idea of re-designation of the Houthis based on their current actions," Axios quoted a senior Emirati official as saying. "The latest attack on civilian targets in Abu Dhabi [on Monday], and the hijacking of a UAE-flagged ship [in early January], fall squarely in that category."

In a statement about the conversation, published later in the day, the US Department of State said Blinken "condemned the terrorist attacks today, which killed and wounded innocent civilians," and described them as "appalling." "The Secretary expressed his solidarity with the Emirati people and voiced his condolences for the loss of life," the document says.

US removed Ansar Allah from its list of terrorist organizations in February 2021. The US Department of State said back then that the decision was made purely for humanitarian reasons.

Armed confrontation between government forces and Ansar Allah (Houthi) rebels has been going on in Yemen since August 2014, reaching the most active phase in March 2015 after the Saudi-led coalition invaded the country. The ongoing conflict has triggered the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis, with more than 24 million Yemenis, or about 80% of the country’s population, being in need for humanitarian aid and the number of internally displaced persons exceeding three million, according to the UN data.

Attack on Abu Dhabi

Drones attacked facilities of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and a construction site in the vicinity of Abu Dhabi International Airport on Monday. As a result, at least four people were killed and at least five injured in a fire that broke out at an ADNOC facility.

The Al Mayadeen TV channel reported, citing Houthi military spokesman General Yahiya Saria, that the targets in the UAE were attacked by five ballistic and cruise missiles and a large number of drones. The general warned that Ansar Allah was ready to broaden the list of potential targets, adding more important facilities to it. He also claimed that the attack targeted the airport of Dubai, and called upon UAE citizens and guests to stay away from important infrastructure facilities for their own safety.