Yemen Monitor/New York/Agencies:
The American newspaper “The New York Times” quoted a US official on Friday as saying that the United Arab Emirates is supporting the U.S.s’ campaign in its new offensive against the Houthi group in Yemen.
This is the first disclosure of its kind regarding the participation of an Arab country with the US in attacks against the Houthis.
The Pentagon has moved Patriot and THAAD air defense systems to some Arab countries concerned about the Houthi escalation in the region.
A US official stated that the United Arab Emirates is providing logistical and advisory support to the US military in its campaign in Yemen.
The Gulf Cooperation Council countries, or any Arab country, did not endorse or condemn the US military operations against the Houthis, and remained neutral, with the exception of Oman’s rejection. Bahrain was part of the “Prosperity Guardian” coalition announced by the Biden administration in December 2023 against the Houthis, where the Fifth Fleet is headquartered in Manama.
On March 15, the US began a relentless bombing campaign on parts of northern Yemen under Houthi control. US and Yemeni officials stated that Navy attack aircraft from the aircraft carrier Truman and US Air Force fighter jets, launching from bases in the Middle East, have been carrying out strikes against Houthi targets daily since then.
The initial strikes were the beginning of what senior US officials described as a new offensive against the militants and a message to Iran at a time when Trump is seeking a nuclear deal with its government.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led the UAE and other countries in an air campaign against the Houthis for more than six years, but it stopped after failing to achieve any goals.
In contrast to President Joseph Biden Jr., Trump delegated the authority to strike targets to regional and local commanders, allowing them to attack Houthi positions more quickly and efficiently, according to the commanders.
