Saudi Coalition Bombs Civilian Ministry In Yemen Capital For First Time. It Was Used To Fire Drones.
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The Saudi-led coalition attacking Yemen’s Houthis bombed a civilian ministry building in the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa, saying it was used to control drones that are fired into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Before this latest attack, only the Defense Ministry had been bombed.
Conflicting reports on the Vienna nuclear talks out of Iran. A national security official in Tehran blames the West for pretending to offer initiatives, but Russia’s foreign minister said his Iranian counterpart agreed there’s a “tangible move forward.”
Maybe expect new prisoner exchanges between the United States and Iran. Iran says they’re on the agenda, parallel to the Vienna nuclear talks, but adds that the U.S. reneged on a deal at the last minute. No U.S. response.
A fire at a military base in Iran is put out without injury, but it adds to a chain of suspicions that Israel continues secretly attacking military and nuclear bases in Iran.
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sign 13 agreements. A former Bangladeshi military officer is identified as the fifth captive of United Nations employees who were kidnapped in Yemen. And Morocco has a missile defense deal with Israel.
News from Egypt, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and More.
First the civilian population was given 72 hours warning to get out of the way. Then the Saudi-led coalition destroyed a building in Sanaa used by the Yemen Houthi government for telecommunications. But it was really a blind for directing drones to attack Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
“We have destroyed a communications system used to operate drone control stations,” the coalition said. “The Houthis are using the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology in Sanaa for hostile operations.” The coalition had previously struck Houthi Defense Ministry buildings, but this latest attack was the first on a building operated by a civilian ministry. The strike was part of a series of raids in response to a drone attack on a Saudi Arabian civilian airport last week that injured 12 people.
AFP, Saudi coalition hits Yemen capital after drone attack.
Reuters, Saudi strikes target Yemen comms station.
Al Jazeera, Saudi-led coalition bombs Sanaa, says it hit drone-control site.
Iran said a prisoner swap with the United States is “on the agenda” parallel to the nuclear talks in Vienna. Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said: “This issue is currently on the agenda in parallel with the Vienna talks, but it seems the U.S. has not made a decision on it. Perhaps it is waiting for the results of the talks.”
Asharq Al-Awsat, Iran says prisoner swap with US on agenda.
Iran claimed the United States cancelled a prisoner exchange a night before the agreed date. The Iranian spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said: “Unfortunately, a deal was once achieved but the American side went back on its word on the night before the agreed date.” He did not elaborate on when the deal was made or when it was supposed to be implemented.
The U.S. did not immediately acknowledge any such deal. Prisoner swaps between the United States and Iran are not uncommon, and both countries in recent years have routinely sought the release of detainees.
Associated Press, Iran: US cancelled prisoner swap before agreed date.
Iran says nuclear talks in Vienna are becoming harder because Western powers only “pretend” to come up with initiatives. Ali Shamkhani of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council made the claim, as Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to the talks, was saying earlier that “Significant progress has been made in the course of negotiations.” The talks continue, as do the pros and cons about progress.
Reuters, Nuclear talks harder as west ‘pretends’ to take initiative - Iran official.
Russian and Iranian foreign ministers agreed there’s a “tangible move forward” in reviving the Iran nuclear deal. In Moscow, Russian minister Mikhail Ulyanov spoke to his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and said they agreed on progress in the Vienna negotiations.
Reuters, Russia, Iran note progress in reviving Iranian nuclear deal.
Fire erupted at a military base in western Iran, the latest in a series of blazes and mishaps that Iran suspects are caused by Israel. The fire broke out in a warehouse at a military base in Kemranshad province that is operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported, but the elite Guard Corps is a regular target of Israel.
Associated Press, Fire erupts at military base in western Iran; no casualties.
A former Bangladeshi military officer is identified as the fifth person kidnapped in Yemen in a group of United Nations workers. Earlier reports said the five people abducted were four Yemenis and one unidentified worker. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry and family sources confirmed that former Bangladesh army lieutenant colonel Akm Sufilul Anam was among the five kidnapped. He worked as a field security coordinator for the UN’s department of safety and security in Aden, Yemen.
Daily Star, Bangladeshi among 5 UN staff members abducted in South Yemen.
The United Arab Emirates’ electricity infrastructure is well-protected against attacks. The UAE’s energy minister, Suhail al-Mazrouei, said the country has diversified its electricity infrastructure, has spare capacity, and can withstand attacks. Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, has been targeted by missile and drone attacks from Houthi forces in Yemen, but all were shot down by the UAE.
Reuters, UAE energy minister says infrastructure well-protected against attacks.
The United Arab Emirates and Turkey signed 13 cooperation agreements during the visit to Abu Dhabi by Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The lengthy list covered numerous subjects from A to T, archives to trade and transportation. and more.
Alarabiya, UAE, Turkey sign 13 agreements during Erdogan’s meeting with Mohammed bin Zayed.
Iran's president, Ibrahim Raisi, travels to Qatar this week. Raisi will attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Doha, but Iran's state-run agency gave no further details. The trip on Thursday will mark the Iranian president's first travel to an Arab Gulf state since he assumed power in Tehran in 2021. Iran and Qatar share the world's largest natural gas field. Gulf states have been trying to engage Iran after years of suspicion and conflict with proxies. The United Arab Emirates recently extended an invitation to Raisi, following a rare visit to Tehran by the UAE's national security adviser.
Bloomberg, Iran’s Raisi to travel to Qatar Thursday for gas forum, IRNA says.
The Arab League says Arab countries lost $220 billion in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said the league compiled a report showing that total output in Arab countries suffered a contraction of 11.5 percent in 2020, compared to 2019.
Egypt Independent, Arab countries lost US$220 billion due to coronavirus in 2020: Arab League.
Jordan plans to send electricity to Lebanon in March, depending on an agreement with the World Bank. Jordan's energy minister, Saleh Al Kharabsheh, said the kingdom will send power through Syria, but that an agreement with the World Bank needs to be concluded first. Lebanon is suffering an acute shortage of electricity as its economy collapses, and a deal was signed last month in Beirut to send 250 megawatts of electricity from Jordan through Syria's government-controlled areas. The United States supports the deal despite sanctions against the regime of Syria's president, Bashar Al Assad.
The National, Jordan expects electricity flows to Lebanon via Syria next month.
Lebanon's navy will receive coastal patrol boats from the United States and multi-purpose boats from Italy. Italy is donating to Lebanon a 12 meter-long boat, called a rigid inflatable boat, and a fuel tanker that holds 8,000 liters. The vessels are expected soon, and Italy also gave Lebanon two 20-passenger vans. Another donation for maintenance of naval equipment and updating of software worth 100,000 euros is scheduled from Italy in July. No agreement has been reached with Italy, however, about a donation of frigates. The United States will send three Protector-class boats at 27-meter length, considered as patrol boats. These are expected in late 2022.
Defense News, Lebanon's navy to receive multipurpose boats from Italy, patrol boats from United States.
A $27 billion oil and gas deal Iraq hopes will reverse the exit of oil majors is snarled. Government reorganization and disputes over terms are threatening the arrangement with France's TotalEnergies, which would invest $27 billion in four oil, gas, and renewables projects in Iraq's southern Basra region over 25 years. The deal is mired in disputes because all Iraqi government departments need to approve it, and Iraq has yet to form a new government following parliamentary elections.
Reuters, Iraq's $27 bln TotalEnergies deal stuck over contract wrangling.
Iraq's oil ministry denies any issues with the TotalEnergies oil and gas deal, saying it just "needs time." The ministry disputed a report that agreement on the $27 billion deal was stalling and threatening Total's planned investment. "This agreement needs time to be realised and cannot be carried out in a tight time frame," the ministry said in a statement.
Reuters, Iraq oil ministry denies Total deal is stumbling.
Norway will contribute $124 million to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine. An agreement was reached when an UNRWA official visited Oslo. Most of the money will continue aid to Palestinian refugees, with a smaller portion designated for emergency assistance over the next four years.
Menafn, Palestine - Norway announces $124.5 million four-year contribution to UNRWA.
Israel is providing its Barak MX missile system to Morocco for $600 million. An agreement was signed by Morocco and Israel's state company Israel Aerospace Industries, following a visit last year to Morocco by Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz. The Israeli system defends against a range of weapons including fighters, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and gliding bombs. It has three interception ranges of 35, 70, and 150 kilometers
Menafn, Israel to provide Morocco with missile defence system in $600mn deal.
Sudan's military arrested a former senior civilian government official for the second time. The opposition Unionist Alliance Party said Mohammed al-Faki Suliman, a former member of the Sovereign Council that ruled Sudan until a military coup in October, was arrested in the capital of Khartoum with two others. Suliman was leaving his house on his way to the party headquarters when his car was stopped and he was arrested. Suliman and two others who had worked with him were taken to Souba prison in Khartoum.
Meanwhile, thousands of Sudanese demonstrators continued to protest, and security forces used live ammunition against them. The Sudanese Doctors Committee said at lest two men were shot dead, one in Khartoum and one in Omdurman.
Associated Press, Ex-Sudan official detained as 2 killed in anti-coup protests.
An opposition activist in Egypt started a hunger strike after being held in prison for three years without a trial. Walid Shawky, a dentist who was a member of the secular April 6 movement, was first arrested and jailed in 2018 when he was accused of "belonging to a terrorist organization," a charge routinely leveled at opposition activists in Egypt. He had been ordered released at the end of the maximum two years of pre-trial detention, but was never freed and new charges were brought against him.
Middle East Eye, Egypt: Opposition activist begins hunger strike over three year pre-trial detention.
Egypt has sent crews to the Gaza strip to clear rubble and is promising to build new apartment complexes. The country has worked behind the scenes for years. encouraging truce talks and reconciliation between Palestinian factions, but now it is going public with its activities, after mediating a ceasefire in Gaza in 2021.
Associated Press, Egypt steps up Gaza role after brokering last year's truce.
MORE: Morocco joblessness up by 12.3% in 2021, Xinhua... Apache aims to boost oil and gas output in Egypt, says CEO, Reuters... UAE, Indonesia say trade deal could be signed next month, Reuters... Saudi Arabia's PIF to invest $40.8 mn in fit-out giant Depa, Construction Week... Trade deal: India, UAE likely to sign free trade agreement on Feb. 18, Mint... Lebanon bans Bahrain opposition group's events in Beirut, The National.
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