Latest news with #UNVIM
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
Iran's multi-front war against the West is going badly – but not in this one theatre
And now the Houthis and their smuggler allies are complicating this further by fitting the wrong sort of AIS transponder. Vessels over 300 tons should have a full Class A transponder, but smuggling ships are fitting themselves with Class B transponders intended for yachts and small craft. These don't require as much data to be transmitted. Class B kit does transmit a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number which is supposed to be unique to each vessel but this also can be falsified. A Lloyds List investigation has shown that one vessel in particular, the Almas, had both Class A and Class B systems fitted and was toggling between the two. This is hardly sophisticated electronic warfare but it's definitely deceptive and, a lot of the time, effective given the sheer volume of ships at sea at any one time. Even calling in to Djibouti and being inspected prior by the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) is no guarantee of righteousness. Vessels have done this and then met up with any one of a thousand non-AIS-fitted dhows between there and their destination port in Yemen and transferred systems at sea. It's a needle-in-a-haystack job that a small UNVIM team with no enforcement capability would struggle to keep up with even before the needles start making themselves look like hay. And this is only one route in. There are two solutions that will help with this. First is to reinvigorate an international inspection regime off the ports like the one Saudi Arabia had in place prior to 2022. As with dark fleet ships and those cutting cables, you still need something of a legal mechanism in place to board and detain them, but unless we get that in place, we will forever be playing catch up. The ships doing this will need to be defended and armed. I'm not talking about a US Arleigh Burke class destroyer level, but something with teeth. Of note, during the last two attacks, there were no warships in the area to either intercept the attacks or assist afterwards. All allied navies now, even the US Navy, cannot spare resources for 'just in case' tasks and the supposed ceasefire saw everyone move away from the area. Ultimately it comes down to international cooperation and funding and what's clear in this case, is that both are insufficient. The second solution is to stop trusting AIS as providing accurate records of where a ship has been. It can't do that. It was designed primarily as an anti-collision system, informing nearby vessels of a ship's presence and its course and speed, and for that it works pretty well. But twenty years ago its lack of accuracy made it inadmissible in UK courts even for fishery protection cases. Today it has shown itself as vulnerable to jamming, spoofing and general misuse as you'd expect from a system designed so long ago and never intended to be used for identification and tracking over entire journeys. What's frustrating is that there are many better sources of data, and sometimes these are used, but invariably, due to the diversity of sources they use, the end product is classified and cannot be publicly revealed. This needs to be rectified or weapons smugglers, sanctions busters and cable cutters will continue to exploit the holes in the current system. That brings us back to international cooperation and funding, which itself will be determined by priorities. You can cost what closing the Bab El Mandeb means for shippers and consumers, and for many classes of goods we are now paying that price and have been for a long time. You can't cost the principle of allowing a major chokepoint to remain closed. It's not all doom and gloom. Just this week, the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by General Tareq Saleh and loyal to the internationally recognised Yemeni government which continues to resist the Houthis, conducted what US Central Command described as 'the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history.' Some 750 tons of munitions and military hardware, much of which sat at the higher end of the capability spectrum outlined above, has now been impounded. Much will be learned from this haul, as well as denying its use to the Houthis. Ultimately, what is needed here is what has been needed all along – a comprehensive solution. I've outlined just two parts of this – more aggressive interdiction and more accurate vessel monitoring, but these need to be merged with ongoing intelligence gathering, diplomatic efforts with surrounding countries and an economic squeeze on the facilitators and beneficiaries, of which there are many. Only then will we be sure that a ceasefire isn't just an opportunity for one side to rearm.
Khabar Agency
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Khabar Agency
UK Vows to Hold Houthis Accountable
The United Kingdom has thrown its weight behind the United Nations' decision to suspend humanitarian operations in Yemen's Houthi-held Saada Governorate, citing 'grave risks' to aid workers and systemic obstruction by the Iran-backed militia. Ambassador James Kariuki, the UK's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered a scathing condemnation of Houthi abuses during a Security Council session on Yemen, linking the group's actions to a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. Kariuki opened by applauding the Council's unified condemnation of Houthi detentions, including the tragic death of a World Food Programme (WFP) staffer in custody. 'Continued Council unity sends an unequivocal message: Release all detainees immediately and unconditionally,' he declared. The UK envoy emphasized that the UN's pause in Saada—a Houthi stronghold—is a direct response to the militia's 'relentless threats' against humanitarian personnel, who face kidnappings, bureaucratic hurdles, and violence. The suspension compounds existing crises worsened by climate change, with Kariuki noting that 'water scarcity and food insecurity are now weaponized by conflict.' A morning press briefing by UN officials, including remarks from Ms. Ali of OCHA, echoed concerns over Houthi restrictions strangling aid to 21 million Yemenis in need. Weapons Intercepted, Iran Accused of Fueling War In a significant revelation, Kariuki highlighted the Yemeni Coast Guard's recent interception of a dhow smuggling advanced Iranian-made weapon components—including missile parts and drones—to Houthi-controlled Hodeida port. 'This is irrefutable proof of Tehran's destabilizing role,' he stated, condemning Iran's 'blatant violation' of the UN arms embargo under Resolution 2216. The UK renewed calls for global enforcement of the embargo and urged the international community to bolster the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), tasked with blocking illicit arms flows. 'UNVIM is Yemen's lifeline against smuggled weapons. It must be fully funded,' Kariuki insisted. Maritime Security Push and Path to Peace Amid rising Red Sea tensions, the UK announced plans to launch the Yemen Maritime Security Partnership later this year, collaborating with Yemen's government and allies to strengthen coastal defenses. The initiative aims to empower Yemen's Coast Guard to combat smuggling and piracy, critical steps toward stabilizing trade routes. Kariuki reaffirmed the UK's commitment to a UN-led political solution, pledging unwavering support for Special Envoy Hans Grundberg's efforts. 'There is no military fix to this conflict. Only an inclusive, Yemeni-owned process can bring lasting peace,' he asserted.
