Arab coalition destroys 86 Houthi-planted naval mines in Red Sea

The Arab coalition fighting in support of the legitimate Yemeni government destroyed 86 Houthi-planted naval mines in Red Sea. (SPA)

• Two types of naval mines were planted by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, says coalition spokesman
• Col. Al-Maliki said the Houthi militia’s actions threaten the safety of the international maritime and commercial lines of conduct

JEDDAH: The Arab coalition fighting in support of the legitimate Yemeni government said their forces have discovered and destroyed 86 naval mines since the beginning of military operations.
Spokesman Col. Turki Al-Malki said that as part of efforts to maintain the safety of international maritime and commercial lines in the southern Red Sea, 36 recently planted naval mines were destroyed over the past week, and 13 sea mines were destroyed on Sunday.
These include two types of naval mines that were planted by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.
Col. Al-Maliki stressed the continued efforts of the coalition’s joint command forces to deal with the threat of these mines on vital coastal installations, fishing boats, beach goers, commercial vessels and giant oil tankers, and effects of regional and international environmental and economic disasters.
He added these contributions fall in line with the coalition and the international community’s efforts to maintain regional and international security and stability in Bab Al-Mandab and the southern Red Sea.
Col. Al-Maliki said the Houthi militia’s actions threaten the safety of the international maritime and commercial lines of conduct and are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
He noted that the Iranian-backed militia’s “acts of terrorism and hostility, including the recent cultivation of these naval mines, is conclusive evidence of the urgency to stop this terrorist group for the interest of regional and international security.
He also said the Houthi militia is not expressing any desire to exert efforts to reach an end to the Yemeni crisis.
“The Houthi terrorist militia bears the legal responsibility for any environmental or economic damage or disasters resulting from its terrorist and hostile actions in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and the southern Red Sea,” Col. Al-Maliki concluded.