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Foreign Ground Troops Join Yemen Fight Foreign Ground Troops Join Yemen Fight
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AL-MUKALLA, Yemen — The United Arab Emirates has sent a military brigade to aid fighters battling Houthi rebels in Yemen, senior Yemeni and United States military officials said Monday, in a move that threatened to escalate a regional struggle between Iran and the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. AL-MUKALLA, Yemen — The United Arab Emirates has sent a military brigade to aid fighters battling Houthi rebels in Yemen, senior Yemeni and United States military officials said Monday, in a move that threatened to escalate a regional struggle between Iran and the monarchies of the Persian Gulf.
The Emirati troops landed in the southern port city of Aden in recent days, bringing with them tanks and other armored vehicles, the officials said. They quickly had an effect, participating in a rout of Houthi fighters on Monday from one of Yemen’s largest and most strategically important air bases, according to a senior Yemeni military commander.The Emirati troops landed in the southern port city of Aden in recent days, bringing with them tanks and other armored vehicles, the officials said. They quickly had an effect, participating in a rout of Houthi fighters on Monday from one of Yemen’s largest and most strategically important air bases, according to a senior Yemeni military commander.
A coalition of Sunni Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and including the United Arab Emirates, has been waging a bombing campaign against the Houthis since late March — largely driven by the view that the Houthis, a Shiite-led movement from northern Yemen, is fighting on behalf of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival.A coalition of Sunni Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and including the United Arab Emirates, has been waging a bombing campaign against the Houthis since late March — largely driven by the view that the Houthis, a Shiite-led movement from northern Yemen, is fighting on behalf of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival.
The Houthis acknowledge their alliance with Iran but deny that they are acting as its proxy. The Obama administration has said that the Saudis are exaggerating the ties between Tehran and the Houthi rebels, who control Sana, the capital, and other parts of Yemen. The criticism has not deterred the Saudis from carrying out thousands of airstrikes and imposing an air and maritime blockade around Yemen as part of an aggressive offensive that aid workers say has helped fuel a humanitarian crisis.The Houthis acknowledge their alliance with Iran but deny that they are acting as its proxy. The Obama administration has said that the Saudis are exaggerating the ties between Tehran and the Houthi rebels, who control Sana, the capital, and other parts of Yemen. The criticism has not deterred the Saudis from carrying out thousands of airstrikes and imposing an air and maritime blockade around Yemen as part of an aggressive offensive that aid workers say has helped fuel a humanitarian crisis.
Apparently frustrated with an impasse in the combat — as well as growing international condemnation of airstrikes that have killed hundreds of civilians — the Saudi-led coalition recently ramped up its assistance to fighters battling the Houthis in Aden. Fighters recaptured the city from the Houthis last month. Some of the Yemeni fighters were trained in the Persian Gulf, and the United Arab Emirates supplied them with armored vehicles. Apparently frustrated with an impasse in the combat — as well as growing international condemnation of airstrikes that have killed hundreds of civilians — the Saudi-led coalition recently increased its assistance to fighters battling the Houthis in Aden. Fighters recaptured the city from the Houthis last month. Some of the Yemeni fighters were trained in the Persian Gulf, and the United Arab Emirates supplied them with armored vehicles.
Small numbers of Saudi and Emirati troops have been fighting in Yemen for at least the last few weeks, according to southern Yemeni commanders. The arrival of the Emirati brigade, though, marked the first time a large foreign force had entered the ground war. “The U.A.E and the Saudis are putting a lot into this,” said a senior United States military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational reports. The Houthis and their allies still control large portions of the country and remain deeply entrenched in the north. But they have faced intensifying pressure over the last few weeks as they have lost territory and as the Saudi coalition has committed more military resources. Small numbers of Saudi and Emirati troops have been fighting in Yemen for at least the last few weeks, according to southern Yemeni commanders. The arrival of the Emirati brigade, though, marked the first time a large foreign force had entered the ground war. “The U.A.E. and the Saudis are putting a lot into this,” said a senior United States military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational reports. He said the two countries’ aggressive military intervention said a great deal about their concerns over Iran’s expanding influence.
In the south, the Houthis are struggling against a force that includes southern separatists, the fighters trained in the Persian Gulf and now the troops from the United Arab Emirates. The Houthis and their allies still control large portions of the country and remain deeply entrenched in the north. But they have faced intensifying pressure over the last few weeks as they have lost territory and as the Saudi coalition has committed more military resources.
In the south, the Houthis are struggling against a force that includes southern separatists, the fighters who trained in the Persian Gulf and now the troops from the United Arab Emirates.
After weeks of trying, the anti-Houthi fighters said they had captured the Al-Anad air base on Monday after attacking it from several approaches.After weeks of trying, the anti-Houthi fighters said they had captured the Al-Anad air base on Monday after attacking it from several approaches.
Al-Anad, which is about 30 miles north of Aden and sits at a major road junction, is seen as a critical access point to Yemen’s southern and western provinces.Al-Anad, which is about 30 miles north of Aden and sits at a major road junction, is seen as a critical access point to Yemen’s southern and western provinces.
The capture of the air base, which could not be confirmed independently, would be the second major defeat for the Houthis in less than a month and a sign of shifting momentum in one of the region’s deadliest and most destructive conflicts. In another sign of the Houthis’ growing isolation, Yemen’s national airline told airport officials in Sana on Monday that it was stopping commercial flights to the capital indefinitely, according to Khalid Al-Shayef, the director of Sana’s airport. The capture of the air base, which could not be confirmed independently, would be the second major defeat for the Houthis in less than a month. In another sign of the Houthis’ growing isolation, Yemen’s national airline told airport officials in Sana on Monday that it was stopping commercial flights to Sana indefinitely, said Khalid Al-Shayef, the director of Sana’s airport.