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Saudi-led coalition launch fresh offensive in Yemen

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Saudi-led coalition launch fresh offensive in Yemen

Western powers sharing intelligence on targets in Hudaidah

Despite UN warnings for a major catastrophe, the forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition have launched a fresh offensive against Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hudaydahearly Wednesday morning.

Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV network announced the beginning of the operation, which the UN has warned could cause up to 250,000 deaths. It said, “The Yemeni army and resistance forces, aided by the Arab coalition, officially launched the battle to liberate the city and port of Hudeidah… on Wednesday at dawn, after the Houthis rejected peaceful solutions.”

The report quoting military source said a large-scale ground operation supported by the Arab coalition’s aerial and naval cover began to march towardsHudeidah in more than one axis.

Quoting local sources, Al-Arabia said “violent explosions were heard in the city’s suburbs. Later in the morning, the army announced it had gained control of the suburb of Nikhailah in southern Hudeidah”.

On the other hand Houthi controlled Al-Masirah TV network reported that “the Naval Force of the Yemeni Army and Popular Committees targeted a naval battleship of the US-Saudi Aggression in the West Coast Wednesday morning, during an attempt to advance towards Hudaidah coast.”Saudi-led coalition launch fresh offensive in YemenQuoting sources in Naval Forces, Am-Masirah said that “the two missiles targeted hostile battleship of Hudaidah coast. Smoke rose from the targeted battleship after being hit directly, which other battleships of aggression retreat away from the coast of Hudaidah.” The battleship was loaded with forces and military equipment planned a landing operation on the coast of Hudaidah.

The source confirmed that the missiles accurately hit the hostile battleship. There are ongoing attempts to save the forces aboard the vessel by warship and helicopters, Almasirah reported.

Read More: Saudi Arabia hits MSF Cholera center in Yemen

It also said that since the beginning of the US-Saudi aggression, the Naval forces have targeted more than 12 warships and naval units of aggression, including the frigate of the Saudi city and the military Swift ship belonging to the invading UAE forces.”

Meanwhile, Arabic-language al-Masdar News, a trans-Arabic network focused in the conflict zones of the region, has reported heavy Saudi-led airstrikes on Hudaydah as the UAE-backed troops stormed the Houthi positions just south of the city’s airport.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key member of the Saudi-led coalition, had set a Tuesday deadline for the Yemeni HouthiAnsarullah movement to pull out of Hudaydah, which serves as a lifeline for aid delivery to the war-stricken country.

The Saudi-led coalition claims that the HouthiAnsarullah movement is using Hudaydah for weapons delivery, an allegation rejected by the fighters.

Anwar Gargash, Minister of Foreign Affairs of UAE told on Tuesday, “These are the last and final hours to get unconditional guarantees that the Houthis will leave the port.”

Read More: Israeli jets flying over Yemen, alleges Houthi leader

The Houthi movement has pledged strong resistance in the face of the assault, the largest of its kind since March 2015. The Houthi media activists have also reported fierce clashes south of the Hudaydah airport and intense air raids over the entire province.

Shortly after the operation was launched, the Yemeni National Salvation Government’s (Houthi controlled)  spokesman, AbdulsalamJaber, said Yemeni armed forces had targeted a UAE warship off the country’s western coast.

Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee has also said the warship was destroyed in the counter-attack, adding that Saudi-led helicopters rushed to save the forces aboard the vessel, which is now burning near Yemen’s coastline.

Meanwhile, the pro Saudi Arabia Hadi led government has slammed the Houthis  saying “(We) have exhausted all peaceful and political solutions to get the Houthi militias out from the Port of Hodeidah.  Liberating the port represents the beginning of the Houthis’ collapse. It will secure navigation in Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and it will cut off Iran’s hands that have drowned Yemen with weapons that are used to shed the Yemenis’ blood,” it added.

Read More: Yemen’s Houthi condemn Saudi Arabia for hitting Presidential Office

The ousted government reiterated that it will carry out its national duty towards the people of Hodeidah, with the coalition’s support, after the port is completely liberated and will work to mitigate their suffering and restore life to normal in all districts in the governorate after it’s purged from the Houthis.It also promised the Yemeni people that it will carry the good news “of liberating Hodeidah soon.”

Meanwhile, according to The Wall Street Journal,there are signs that the US military is deepening its role in the assault on Hudaydah, in spite of UN warnings of massive human casualties. Washington, the paper says, is providing its Gulf allies with intelligence on airstrike targets in the port.

It cited American military officials as saying that the US is helping the UAE develop a list of targets meant to be off limits for airstrikes on Hudaydah, with an apparent aim to minimize civilian casualties.

Read More: Yemen: Cracks in anti-Houthi Coalition, fears rise of Iran influence

On Tuesday, the UN, International Red Cross and other aid groups have withdrawn their staff members from the port city in the wake of UAE threats.The UNICEF has also raised alarm over the impact of the attack on children in Hudaydah and beyond.

“There are 11 million children in need of humanitarian aid in this war-torn country. Choking off this lifeline will have devastating consequences for every one of them,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore said in a statement on Tuesday.

Read More: Saudi Arabia attacks Yemeni capital airport, target drones

On Wednesday, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on all sides to the Yemen conflict to protect civilians, voicing concerns about the humanitarian situation in Hudaydah.

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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