Arab coalition ‘taking necessary measures to secure Bab Al-Mandeb’

In this file photo taken on February 08, 2017, a member of the pro-government forces raises his weapon in the port of the western Yemeni coastal town of Mokha as the Saudi-backed troops advance in a bid to try to drive the Houthi rebels away from the Red Sea coast. (AFP)

• Al-Maliki said the Houthis hostile approach could cause an environmental and economic disaster
• He stressed that the measures taken by the alliance are in line with international law

JEDDAH: The Arab coalition fighting in Yemen said the alliance, in coordination with the international community, has taken all necessary measures to ensure the freedom of navigation and international trade through the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.
Coalition spokesman Colonel Al-Maliki said the alliance had assessed all the attacks committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in the strait and the southern part of the Red Sea
Last week the militia targeted two Saudi oil tankers off the Yemen coast, prompting the Kingdom to suspend oil shipments through the passage. Bab Al-Mandeb, which marks the entrance to the Red Sea, is one of the world’s most important supply routes.
Al-Maliki said the Houthis hostile approach could cause an environmental and economic disaster that would harm the interests of countries in the region and around the world.
He said the Arab coalition would continue its efforts to coordinate with the international community to preserve regional and international security and global stability.
He stressed that the measures taken by the alliance are in line with international law.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships off the Yemen coast since the war started. The conflict was sparked after the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 and attempted to seize large sections of the country.