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First Post
22-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Why India should recognise South Yemen's independence
Rather than follow the West's tired and failed strategies on Yemen, India should take the diplomatic lead. The greater problem is the unchallenged belief among many diplomats that unity brings stability read more An Indian security guard was rescued from the Red Sea on July 10, 2025, after Yemeni Houthis sank the Eternity C, the ship on which he worked. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), meanwhile, helps the Houthis target Red Sea shipping not only out of animus toward Israel and the United States, but also because Revolutionary Guards-owned transport companies lose out financially if India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) traffic bypasses Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As a regional superpower and the world's fourth largest economy, India also relies on freedom of navigation and stability and security in the Indian Ocean basin. Rather than follow the West's tired and failed strategies on Yemen, India should take the diplomatic lead. For too long, Western priorities and assumptions have shaped policy toward Yemen. First and foremost, the US, the UK, and the UN have prioritised unity over defeating the Houthis. Outside powers have also promoted a big-tent approach. Both approaches make defeat of the Houthis and restoration of security impossible. The assumption that broad coalitions bring peace and stability is rooted in wishful thinking rather than evidence. Forcing US President Donald Trump to share an office with Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party nominee for the post Trump contested and won, would bring dysfunction, not smooth governance. Yet the international community forces divergent groups together into Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council. President Rashid al-Alimi represents the General People's Congress, the former political party of Yemen's long-time leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. Vice Chairmen of the Council come from the Southern Transitional Council, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Saleh's own family. Other tribal leaders and religious agendas fill out the council. The practical problem with the Council, though, is that each member promotes his agenda over the paramount goal of defeating the Houthis. Yemen's Muslim Brotherhood branch too often supports Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and facilitates the smuggling of weaponry to the Houthis. Their actions make them liable to the former terror designation, yet they remain a Trojan Horse inside the Presidential Leadership Council. Other northern officials prioritise undermining southern success over Houthi defeat. Aden has a surplus of fuel oil in its storage tanks, yet northern officials will not allow them to sell it. Residents of Aden suffer through 45-degree Celsius days with high humidity and no electricity for fans, let alone air conditioners. The greater problem, however, is the unchallenged belief among many diplomats that unity brings stability. In Yemen, that has never been the case. The British colonised Aden in 1839 as a coaling station to support British commerce and shipping to and from India. The Aden Colony became the Aden Protectorate, which then formed the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South and finally the Federation of South Arabia before the British withdrew and Communist insurgents formed the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, colloquially called South Yemen. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With the fall of the Soviet Union, North and South Yemen united, but it was not a happy marriage. South Yemen has always been more cosmopolitan, tolerant, and progressive. It sought to leave the union in 1994, but North Yemeni forces conquered and occupied the region. Even if outside powers date Yemeni unity to 1990, the Houthi conquest of Sanaa in 2014 led South Yemen to restore its de facto autonomy. Put another way, Yemeni unity accounts for only 13 per cent of Yemeni history. Not by coincidence, those 24 years represent the most tumultuous and least stable time in Yemeni history. Any honest historical assessment would conclude that Yemen is most stable with South Yemen—or South Arabia, as many residents now see themselves—independent. The notion that there must be only one Yemen makes no logical sense when there are 22 Arab states, two Albanias (one called Kosovo), and two Romanias (one called Moldova). The international community recognised Kosovo and Moldova for purely practical reasons, as they recognised that forcing unity could actually worsen regional conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here, India should play a diplomatic role. South Yemenis orient themselves toward India. Many Indians immigrated into Aden during the period of British control and chose to stay following South Yemen's independence. Today, Indian heritage is a source of pride. Some Yemenis introduce themselves as Indian, and it is common for Yemenis whose families arrived from India five generations back to still speak Hindi and know their home regions and towns. As India seeks to secure the Indian Ocean basin, it should leverage positive feelings toward India to support former British protectorates like Somaliland and South Yemen in their quests for independence. Under Jawaharlal Nehru, India became the intellectual and diplomatic centre of anti-colonialist sentiment. Today, his goal is incomplete. India could resume its intellectual and diplomatic leadership, leverage its Indian diaspora, and bring stability to South Arabia and the Gulf of Aden by forcing other influential states to reconsider the stale assumptions underpinning their diplomacy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Michael Rubin is director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Key Trump Ally Bolsters Missile Defense as Iran Threatens
Saudi Arabia has announced the deployment of its first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and the operational readiness of its first associated unit, its Defense Ministry said. Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. partner, is strengthening missile defense capabilities amid escalating regional threats, particularly missile attacks from Iran and proxy groups such as the Yemeni Houthis. This step highlights Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 commitment to boosting domestic defense manufacturing, supported by U.S. firms to transfer technology and build regional capabilities. Saudi Arabia has officially activated its first THAAD missile unit, following successful system tests and troop training, the ministry said. Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces commander handed the unit's flag to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group in a launch ceremony that took place at the Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia began deploying its first THAAD missile system in February, according to an analysis by the open-source intelligence company Janes of footage from a graduation ceremony at the Air Defense Forces Institute. The event marked the graduation of the first Saudi THAAD operators, who completed their training at Fort Bliss, Texas, in November. Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures, a Saudi company in Jeddah, was awarded a subcontract by Lockheed Martin last year to manufacture key THAAD components. In May, Saudi Arabia completed its first domestically produced parts of the missile launcher, Arab News reported. The missile system at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran during the June conflict involving the U.S. and Israel, with the latter also benefiting from the THAAD system to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in Iranian retaliatory attacks. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry wrote on X, in Arabic: "The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces inaugurated the first unit of the THAAD air defense missile system after completing testing, inspection, and operation of its systems, and conducting collective field training for its personnel within the Kingdom." Joseph Rank, the vice president and CEO of Lockheed Martin for Saudi Arabia and Africa, told Arab News in May: "We used to build things here. Now we're actually manufacturing things here. So the big opportunity is manufacturing, co-production, co-development and transfer of technology. This is jobs for Lockheed Martin in the U.S. and jobs for Saudi industry here. A win-win-win." As concerns over renewed military escalation with Iran grow, Gulf states are deepening cooperation with the U.S. and urging diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider regional conflict. Related Articles Donald Trump's Properties Are Doing Better Than EverHow to Watch Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia: Live Stream Gold Cup Quarterfinals, TV ChannelTrump's Best Friends in the Middle East Emerge as Israel-Iran War WinnersHow to Watch Saudi Arabia vs Trinidad & Tobago: Live Stream CONCACAF Gold Cup, TV Channel 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Missile Defenses Heavily Depleted in Shielding Israel: report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. drew down a significant portion of its advanced anti-missile system to bolster Israel's defense against Iranian aerial attacks during a 12-day conflict in which Israel and the U.S. struck nuclear facilities and Iran retaliated with missile launches, according to defense news outlets and independent analysts. Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon for comment. Why It Matters Israel has long relied on the Lockheed Martin developed Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, known as the THAAD battery, for shielding against ballistic missiles from Iran or its proxy groups such as the Yemeni Houthis. The U.S. military operates seven THAAD batteries. An eighth, getting integrated into the Missile Defense Agency, is capable of tracking hypersonic missiles. The THAAD deployment to Israel is part of a broader challenge where supporting allies in conflict zones means using resources that could affect military readiness and future deployment. The THAAD systems employed in Guam are part of the Guam Defense mission and are integral to ensuring the protection of Guam and the United States. The THAAD systems employed in Guam are part of the Guam Defense mission and are integral to ensuring the protection of Guam and the United States. Capt. Frank Spatt/U.S. Army/DVIDS What To Know During the recent Israel-Iran conflict, the United States used an estimated 15 to 20 percent of its global THAAD missile interceptor stockpile, incurring unprecedented costs exceeding $800 million, according to the Bulgarian Military News and Military Watch Magazine outlets. Iran launched a major missile barrage on cities across Israel in response to attacks on its nuclear and military targets, prompting residents to seek shelter amid nationwide. They included older models such as the Ghadr and Emad, the medium-range Kheibar Shekan and the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile—which travels at up to Mach 15 and is hard to intercept. The U.S. restocked interceptor missiles for the THAAD system it deployed in Israel in 2024, amid concerns of shortage, The Wall Street Journal reported. A single THAAD interceptor costs about $12-15 million, according to estimates by multiple defense and news outlets. One open-intelligence analyst on X, formerly Twitter, estimated that the value of THAAD missiles used in the conflict exceeded $498 million. During the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel (June 13–24, 2025), Israel deployed at least 39 THAAD interceptor missiles in one of the attack waves to counter Iranian missile strikes. This figure is based on an analysis of videos published by Jordanian photographer… — OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) June 26, 2025 The system intercepts short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase—just before impact. It covers a larger area than U.S.-made Patriot missile system and comprises a launcher, interceptor, radar, and fire control unit. The American THAAD system deployed to Israel failed to intercept Houthi missiles on two occasions in May. In one case, the projectile was brought down by Israel's Arrow long-range defense system; in the other, a missile struck near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport. The U.S. also used the Patriot system and a Navy destroyer to help Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles from Iran, according to The Associated Press. Israel also has the Iron Dome system for protection from short-range artillery and rockets, such as those fired by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip. As a series of direct confrontations escalated in 2024, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel, with the Pentagon saying it was deploying to Israel its advanced system battery to Israel, along some 100 U.S. troops. What People Are Saying Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told The Wall Street Journal during the conflict: "Neither the U.S. nor the Israelis can continue to sit and intercept missiles all day. The Israelis and their friends need to move with all deliberate haste to do whatever needs to be done, because we cannot afford to sit and play catch." User @MenchOsint, an independent open-intelligence and military analyst wrote on X: "Moral of the story: After all these decades, Israel can't win a war without US direct support. Six-days war: US imposes embargo on arms on the region but secretly help Israel. Twelve-days war: US imposes sanctions on Iran & help Israel with Defense (THAAD) direct strikes, intelligence & arms supplies." User @AirPowerNEW1, an independent open-source analyst on X: "Assuming the US Army THAAD battery in Israel used up 50% more interceptors (39+20) than the video evidence used shows, it would mean roughly 10-15% of the US Army's inventory of THAAD missiles was likely used up over this 12 day period. While US Army has been buying small number of THAAD AURs lately to allow production deliveries to FMS customers, this could force some interesting discussions with KSA, UAE and future customers (Qatar)." What Happens Next Urgent restocking and manufacturing of THAAD interceptors will be needed, not only for Israel but for other other regions where they may be required, such as in the wider Middle East, the Pacific and Europe.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Greta Thunberg's 'Madleen' docks in Ashdod port, crew offered to watch Oct. 7 footage
The Defense Ministry announced that the flotilla was making its way to Israeli shores and that all passengers were expected to return to their home countries. The 12 activists who boarded the Gaza Freedom Flotilla have arrived at the port in Ashdod alongside Shayetet 13, the IDF's elite navy seals unit, on Monday night. According to Ynet, the passengers were given the option to view footage from Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel, but will not be forced to watch it. The IDF intercepted the Madleen early Monday morning at about 3 a.m., boarding the ship and detaining the passengers after the activists ignored repeated warnings to turn back from breaching Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israel's position, since Hamas carried out a coup against the Palestinian Authority and took over Gaza in 2007, has been that a naval blockade of Gaza is legal since Hamas is a terror group in a state of war with Israel. Jerusalem also argues that it is necessary to block Iran from smuggling in high-quality missiles, such as those the Yemeni Houthis and other Iranian proxies possess. The activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian European Parliament Member Rima Hassan, and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, were trying to raise awareness of their opposition to Israel's invasion of Gaza, its blocking of certain international groups from directly distributing food aid in Gaza, and the naval blockade in general. Since 2010, there have been several attempts by global critics of Israel to break Israel's naval blockade. However, in recent years, many of those attempts were stopped by drones, insurance lawsuits, and other tactics. In 2010, 10 activists were killed by the IDF after they attacked Israeli Navy commandos boarding the ship with crowbars and other makeshift weapons, badly injuring at least one. Since then, the IDF has clarified procedures to avoid altercations and has boarded and safely taken control of other ships that tried to break the blockade. There have also been incidents, such as the Karine A cargo ship in 2002 and the Victoria cargo ship in 2011, where the navy has intercepted and commandeered weapons-smuggling vessels without either side being badly injured. According to a Foreign Ministry post on X/Twitter, 'All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.' Sources told The Jerusalem Post that the 12 activists would be sent back to their home countries as quickly as possible in order to wrap up the episode. At press time, multiple home countries of the activists were demanding consular access to their citizens while in Israeli custody. While the media has been covering the flotilla's sailing progress toward Israel for some time, at 1:17 a.m. on Monday, the activists started to signal that the Israeli Navy was bearing down on them. The flotilla's Telegram account reported that alarms sounded on the ship, and life jackets were being prepared. One of the flotilla participants Yasmine Najer uploaded a video to her Instagram account and explained why the alarm in the flotilla was activated: 'We are very close to Gaza. The reason we activated the alarm is that four ships surrounded us and two approached to a distance of about 200 meters – this has not happened before. So that is why we sounded the alarm.' Around that time, the Israeli Navy used an international civilian communication system to communicate with the Madleen, ordering it to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. 'If you wish to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, you are able to do so through the Port of Ashdod via the established channels and distribution zones,' said an Israeli sailor on a video distributed by the Foreign Ministry. The ministry later announced that the flotilla, referring to it as the 'selfie yacht,' was making its way to Israeli shores. 'While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity – and which included less than a single truckload of aid – more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks,' the ministry said in an official statement. 'There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip – they do not involve Instagram selfies.' The ministry then added that the aid on the flotilla, which it described as 'tiny,' would be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels. In recent days, the Madleen's official tracker had shown the ship edging closer to the Gaza coastline, and Shayetet 13 had already begun training to board the ship, which the Post had learned could happen 'soon.' However, IDF officials had been circumspect about sharing exact details. Even after the operation, unusually, the Foreign Ministry, and not the IDF, took the lead in publicizing details of the event. The vessel left a week ago from the city of Catania in Sicily. The IDF had stated that it would intercept the vessel before it reached Gaza. The activists on board reported that they would attempt to livestream the IDF's takeover of the vessel. Amichai Stein and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
Newsweek
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump Changes Top Middle East General For Strong Iran Hawk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. has underlined the priority of maritime operations and integrated joint forces in the Middle East with the nomination of a naval officer as the region's top commander ahead of a potential confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program and other threats. President Donald Trump has nominated Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, currently the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), to be appointed to the rank of admiral and serve as its new commander. He has been a strong critic of Iran and supportive of Israel in the past. Only one Navy officer has previously commanded CENTCOM—Admiral William Fallon in 2007—while the role has traditionally been held by Army and Marine generals. Why It Matters Commanding U.S. operations in the Middle East is one of the military's critical roles amid ongoing tensions with Iran and with a fragile truce with the Yemeni Houthis, after the Iranian-backed group multiply targeted U.S. aircraft carriers in response to Trump's airstrike campaign launched in March. Trump has threatened to use military force against Iran if diplomacy fails to achieve a deal to curb its nuclear program. CENTCOM is further engaged in regional security efforts related to Gaza since the war that erupted following Hamas' 2023 October attack on Israel. Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq remain key theaters for CENTCOM's anti-ISIS operations. What To Know If confirmed, Adm. Cooper will succeed commander General Michael Kurilla, who is due to retire this summer. Kurilla, with an army background, has also been strongly critical of Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has endorsed Cooper over Army General James Mingus, the presumed frontrunner, shifting away from Biden administration preferences, The Washington Post reported in April. A fierce critic of Iran's activities in the Middle East, Cooper has repeatedly identified it as a threats to regional security, navigation, and stability. As commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, he played a central role in Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led multinational mission safeguarding Red Sea shipping lanes from Houthi missile and drone attacks from 2023. In 2024, he orchestrated the U.S. military's support for humanitarian aid to Gaza, through the establishment of a maritime corridor that boosted aid delivery without deploying troops on the ground, although it faced security challenges and quickly ended. Cooper had visited Israel in January to discuss U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Cooper, a 1989 Naval Academy graduate, holds a master's in strategic Intelligence, studied international relations at Harvard and Tufts, and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College. A recipient of the Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award, he has led Navy ships and crews across key regions, served on the ground in Afghanistan, commanded U.S. naval forces in the Middle East for nearly three years, and led major Navy groups in the Atlantic, Japan, and Korea, including the USS Russell and USS Gettysburg. What People Are Saying Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said on CBS' 60 Minutes in 2024: "For a decade, the Iranians have been supplying the Houthis. They've been resupplying them. They're resupplying them as we sit here right now, at sea. We know this is happening. They're advising them, and they're providing target information. This is crystal clear." Pentagon's press release on Wednesday: "Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced today that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Vice Adm. Charles B. Cooper II for appointment to the grade of admiral, with assignment as commander, U.S. Central Command." What Happens Next His appointment is pending approval by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
