As local journalists in Yemen reported that at least 15 civilians were killed in Saudi airstrikes in the port city of Hodeidah on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo officially certified that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose three-year assault on the country has been made possible by U.S. support, are doing all they can to avoid civilian casualties.
SANA’A, YEMEN — A source inside of Yemen’s Air Force said in a statement that an unmanned long-range drone, dubbed the Samad 3 (Invincible-3), targeted Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates — located over 1100 km ( 683 miles) away from Yemen’s capital, Sana’a — in retaliation for recent Saudi-led coalition airstrikes against civilians in Yemen.
One of the poorest countries in the Middle East, Yemen’s war has pushed it to the brink of famine. A Saudi blockade has slowed the flow of food and helped push prices up. Markets and businesses are ruined from airstrikes. Millions are destitute. Special correspondent Jane Ferguson smuggled herself across front lines to report on what’s happening inside the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.
— PBS NewsHour summary, July 2, 2018
Recent Iranian trade figures suggest that the United Arab Emirates, a strong backer of US efforts to squeeze Iran economically, could emerge alongside China as the Islamic republic’s foremost lifeline in seeking to blunt the impact of harsh sanctions. Russia and Oman rather than Europe are emerging as runners-up in possibly enabling Iran to circumvent sanctions.
LONDON — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been accused of paying extras through a talent agency to protest the London visit of the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in an attempt to depict the Gulf country’s ruler as a figure loathed by the British public.
The emir is hoping to promote ties with friendly countries amid a bruising yearlong blockade by neighboring Arab states Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain.
If they would just confirm to us that my brother is alive, if they would just let us see him, that’s all we want. But we can’t get anyone to give us any confirmation. My mother dies a hundred times every day. They don’t know what that is like.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) today issued a provisional ruling for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately reunite Qatari families and end its racial discrimination against them.
SOUTHERN YEMEN — “They come to strip off our clothes not to liberate us. After taking your clothes off, they tie your hands to a steel pole from the right and the left so you are spread open in front of them. Then the sodomizing starts,” a released prisoner from a secret United Arab Emirates prison black-site, who only wanted to be identified as A.F.D. in fear of retaliation, told MintPress. “Please do not mention my name.”
He continued:
