Latest Updates On Yemen, 15 May 2024

1. Saada Governorate:
As a result of the recent artillery attacks by the Saudi-led coalition on the border areas of the Sheda district in Saada Governorate, 10 Yemeni civilians were wounded.

2. The Warrior Maven website, one of the specialized media outlets on US military news reported: The multiple downing of MQ-9 Reaper drones in Yemen may prompt the Pentagon to re-evaluate the development plans for manufacturing of this drone, which has previously been valuable and successful in many missions.

3. The German newspaper Der Spiegel claimed that the European Union’s naval fleet in the Red Sea is facing a shortage of warships to counter the operations of the Yemeni Armed Forces.

This is happening as three months have passed since the start of the European operation in the Red Sea under the name Operation ASPIDES. Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the commander of this operation, said: After the departure of the German warship Hessen, only three warships remain in the operational area, making the continuation of the mission impossible. It is expected that the void left by the Hessen warship will be filled by the Hamburg warship, but this warship will reach the Red Sea in August.

4. Statement by the British maritime risk management company Ambrey after the recent threat from the Yemeni Armed Forces: Estimates show that Yemen has the military capabilities to target commercial ships in the eastern Mediterranean. Despite the air defense capabilities of the Israeli army and the coalition’s support for Israel, it cannot be guaranteed that all Yemeni threats will be detected and intercepted. Ships bound for Israel are advised to stop transmitting AIS destination information after entering the eastern Mediterranean. We recommend that these ships involve intelligence and security organizations to help with travel planning to counter Yemeni threats.

5. USNI News website (a specialized media outlet of the US Navy): The aircraft carrier Eisenhower is returning to the Red Sea after moving towards the US. The possible return of this US aircraft carrier is due to the military operations of the Israeli army in Rafah city, which will likely provoke a strong reaction from Yemen and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah against Israel.

6. Sanaa Governorate:
On May 8, 2024, the military maneuver of officials of the National Salvation Government of Yemen was held in the presence of Mahdi Al-Mashat, the President of the Supreme Political Council of the Arab country. The political and military officials of Yemen participated in the symbolic inauguration ceremony of the military maneuver in preparation and command of the general mobilization for the fourth stage of the escalation of tension in support of the Palestinian people and resistance.

7. A report of the Business Insider news website on the return of the US naval group to the Red Sea: The US aircraft carrier Eisenhower and the destroyer USS Gravelly quickly conducted supply operations in the Souda Bay in the Greek island of Crete after exhausting their ammunition in the Red Sea. The return of the Eisenhower aircraft carrier to the Red Sea comes after the crisis caused by the Yemeni missile attacks, which cannot be expected to come to an end. This US website quoted Rear Admiral Marc Miguez, the commander of the US naval group dubbed Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea, as saying: “Our sailors have worked constantly for six months to keep us operational in the most challenging and dynamic battlespace the US Navy has seen in decades.”

According to the Business Insider report, the US Navy has spent nearly $1 billion to counter the Yemeni threats, a figure that reflects the increase in the West’s financial costs in the Red Sea. In addition, the US Navy has stated that it needs logistics ships to carry out operations and supply and replenish the naval group deployed to the Red Sea.

8. CENTCOM statements about the confrontation with the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement:
– The terrorist United States Central Command in West Asia (CENTCOM) claimed in a statement that between 23:02 and 23:48 (Sana’a time) on May 6, 2024, the Ansar Allah movement launched three suicide drones towards the Gulf of Aden. One of the warships of the US-British coalition successfully shot down the first and second drones, and the third drone crashed into the sea. At 5:02 am on May 7, the Ansar Allah movement launched an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) towards the Gulf of Aden. According to this CENTCOM report, these attacks did not cause any casualties or damage to commercial ships, US-UK coalition ships.

– The terrorist United States Central Command in West Asia (CENTCOM) claimed that at 20:45 (Sana’a time) on May 10, the Yemeni army launched a suicide drone towards the Gulf of Aden, and the US-British coalition fighter jet successfully intercepted and destroyed it. Also, between 4:30 and 4:45 am (Sana’a time) on May 11, US forces destroyed three suicide drones in the Red Sea. These attacks did not cause any casualties or damage to commercial ships and US-British coalition vessels.

9. The Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC): The Western naval coalition in the Red Sea is facing a new and difficult challenge in dealing with Yemeni unmanned surface vehicles (USVs).

10. Abyan Governorate:
On May 13, according to local media reports, Al-Qaeda militants entered the Lawder district in Abyan Governorate and distributed their propaganda books and leaflets in the region.

11- Hudaydah:
On May 13, the US coalition fighter jets bombarded Hudaydah airport.