Watan-Data from maritime sources monitored by (Watan) revealed unusual movements near Emirati waters. Activists pointed out that these were boats belonging to the Houthi group, aimed at chasing Israeli, American, and British ships, although this hasn’t been confirmed by UKMTO.
(Watan) observed security alerts from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) regarding several boats moving 20 nautical miles east of the Emirati city of Khorfakkan, without mentioning their identity but noting individuals in military attire aboard.
This development comes amid repeated Houthi attacks on ships believed to support the Israeli occupation, particularly those headed towards the Red Sea.
Do the Houthis pose a threat to Emirati waters?
Houthis, aligned with Iran, regularly announce missile launches and target Israeli-affiliated or Israeli cargo ships in the Red Sea, vowing to continue until the end of the war in Gaza.
Yemeni legal advisor Abdulwahab Al-Khayl posted a tweet on (X) platform, questioning the possibility of Houthis targeting Israeli, American, and British ships.
Al-Khayl shared maritime data verified by (Watan) and questioned, “Have the submarines and drones belonging to the Yemeni Naval Forces – meaning the Houthis – reached the waters adjacent to the UAE to chase Israeli, American, and British ships?”
هل وصلت الغواصات والزوارق المسيرة التابعة للقوات البحرية في القوات المسلحة اليمنية، إلى المياه المتاخمة لدولة الإمارات لملاحقة السفن الإسرائيلية والأمريكية والبريطانية؟
جاء ذلك في البلاغ أدناه.👇
دعونا نراقب pic.twitter.com/zEzZdMoRfJ— المستشار عبدالوهاب الخيل ⚖️ (@alkhailabdulwah) February 25, 2024
Since the US and Britain intervened to strike Houthi sites in Yemen, tensions in the region have escalated. The Houthi group announced civilian casualties and injuries, all from one family, due to American-British airstrikes in Taiz province in the southwest of the country.
Civilian Losses in American-British Airstrikes
Prominent Egyptian journalist and writer Gamal Sultan confirmed in a tweet the confusion of numbers and information, whether among Egyptian and Emirati officials or even between Emirati and Egyptian media regarding the Ras El Hikma deal.
Sultan stated: “Is the $24 billion the value of the land in Ras El Hikma or the total project costs, and who will receive the land price? To the state treasury or the army? We do not know.”
The Egyptian journalist further questioned about Ras El Hikma project: “What is Egypt’s share of the ‘cash’ it receives from the deal?”
This deal comes at a time when the International Monetary Fund is pressuring Cairo to sell state-owned assets, open space for the private sector, and allow for flexible exchange rate movements.
Egypt had previously announced the sale of state-owned assets to help finance heavy external debt installments due this year and to open space for the private sector within the framework of the financial support package signed with the International Monetary Fund.