UAE Says Abu Dhabi Attack 'Will Not Go Unpunished," Houthis Call It 'Military Operation'
Good morning from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Tuesday, January 18, 2022! The Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, takes the Yemen war to a new level. Houthi militias have repeatedly carried out cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and have claimed a few attacks on the UAE, but striking the Emirates' capital is new and challenging. The UAE vows that the Houthis will be held accountable and that the attack won't go unpunished.
The strike by the Houthis was viewed as retaliation for the UAE's increased role in fresh Yemen army successes in Shabwa and Marib provinces. The advances there, led by the UAE-financed Giants Brigades, were a sharp setback for the rebel Houthis, who made clear the Abu Dhabi attack was a response and a signal to the UAE about its escalating role in the Yemen war.
The Houthis declared the Abu Dhabi attack was a new "military operation” and a "warning shot." The United States joined the UAE in response, saying the Houthis will be held to account and that American support for the Emirates is "unwavering."
In Jeddah, an Iranian diplomatic delegation has returned to Saudi Arabia for the first time since 2016. The Iranians are delegates to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and their entrance was agreed upon in recent talks between Iran and the Saudis in Baghdad.
In Vienna, an American former hostage of the Iranian takeover of the U.S. embassy in 1979 will stage a hunger strike to call attention to Americans and Westerners “being held prisoner in Iran as bargaining chips."
In Najaf, Iraq, Iran's Quds Force commander is meeting with pro-Iran militia leaders for a strategy on how to deal with Iran's cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and a new Iraqi cabinet that could exclude the militias and dilute Iran's influence.
News from Qatar, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Libya, and More.
Yemen's Houthi rebels are warning civilians and foreign companies to stay clear of "vital installations" as they threaten more attacks on the United Arab Emirates.
Abdul Ilah Hajar, a senior Houthi official, said the military operation in Abu Dhabi was a warning shot. "We sent them a clear message by hitting places that are not of great strategic importance," he said. "But it is a warning if the UAE continues its hostility to Yemen, it will not be able in the future to withstand the coming strikes."
AFP, Three dead as Yemeni rebels hit Abu Dhabi in 'warning shot.'
Reuters, Yemen's Houthis warn of further attacks on UAE.
The United Arab Emirates condemned "this terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on areas and civilian facilities on Emirati soil." The strike "will not go unpunished," the UAE foreign ministry said.
"The UAE reserves the right to respond to these terrorist attacks and criminal escalation," the ministry said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the UAE foreign minister, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington would hold the Houthis accountable.
Reuters, UAE says deadly Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi will "not go unpunished."
UAE official Anwar Gargash called the Abu Dhabi attack "sinful Houthi aggression" that won't affect UAE security. "The fate of this recklessness and absurdity is decline and defeat," Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said. Meanwhile, the UAE state oil firm ADNOC said it had activated business continuity plans and would have a reliable and uninterrupted supply of products. The Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi struck facilities of the company's Mussafah fuel depot, setting off explosions in fuel trucks that killed three people.
Al Arabiya, Houthis 'terrorist' tampering with stability will not affect UAE security: Gargash.
Reuters, UAE's ADNOC activates business continuity plans after refinery incident.
The United States national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. will work with the UAE and international partners to hold the Yemen rebel Houthis accountable for the attack on Abu Dhabi. The Houthis have claimed responsibility, Sullivan said, and will be held to account for the deaths of "three innocent civilians." He said the U.S. commitment to the security of the UAE is "unwavering" and "we stand beside our Emirati partners against all threats to their territory." Numerous other nations denounced the Houthi strike, including neighbors Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and France said the strike poses a threat to regional stability.
Reuters, US vows to hold Yemen's Houthis 'accountable' for UAE attack.
A spokesman for Yemen's Houthi rebels said the Abu Dhabi attack was in retaliation for the UAE's role in a military offensive in Yemen's Marib province. Fahmy al Yousifi, a deputy information minister, said the Houthis would "continue to retaliate against the United Arab Emirates as long as it remains involved in supporting combatants inside Yemen."
Another Houthi adviser, Mohammed Bakhiti, said the group had "abstained from attacking the UAE for a long time because it appeared that Abu Dhabi was in the process of pulling its forces out of Yemen. Now, the situation has changed again," he said, after the Saudi-led coalition recaptured Yemen's Shabwa province with UAE help.
Voice of America, Houthis: Attacks on Abu Dhabi were response to UAE military actions in Yemen
For the first time since 2016, Iranian diplomats are back in Saudi Arabia. Iran's foreign ministry said its delegation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is in Jeddah to start its work. Agreement to permit the Iranians to return to the OIC was reached in recent talks in Baghdad between the Saudis and Iranians. Iran's spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said "this can be a good prelude for the two sides to send delegations to visit their embassies." Saudi Arabia and Iran are both members of the OIC, the pan-Islamic body of 57 member states.
AFP, Iran says diplomats back in Saudi Arabia for OIC posts.
Reuters, Iranian diplomats arrive in Saudi to take up Organization of Islamic Cooperation posts.
Al Jazeera, Iran to reopen OIC representative office in Saudi Arabia.
Iran says much of the text for the terms to renew a nuclear deal has now been written, awaiting the United States to "state its decision on the remaining issues and the removal of sanctions." Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said "rather cryptically" that "many of the tables have been prepared and the columns of this table are also ready. Some of the parentheses have been erased and agreement on ideas have been made... and are being converted into words and sentences."
He said if decisions are made after negotiators return to Vienna, "we can move quickly toward a reliable and durable agreement."
Al Monitor, Iran says much of nuclear deal text is ready.
An American embassy survivor of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis said he will go to Vienna and stage a hunger strike in solidarity with those unlawfully detained in Iran. Barry Rosen, who was press attache at the U.S. embassy in Tehran when it was overrun by Iranian militants 41 years ago, said "The hostage crisis hasn't ended for many others, Americans and Westerners, who are now being held as bargaining chips in Iran. There are at least two dozen of them."
Rosen said the release of hostages can only take place if the U.S. and its allies pressure Iran. "My message is simple. No deal with Iran unless the hostages are free."
The National, Former Iran hostage Barry Rosen goes on hunger strike to campaign for prisoners in Tehran.
A Chinese news service reports that Iran is ready to open its embassy in Saudi Arabia -- but depending on the Saudis. This is less than weekend reports when an Iranian parliamentarian declared that both sides had agreed to reopen their embassies, which have been closed since 2016. Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Iranian spokesman, said a decision on diplomatic relations depends on the Saudis and on practical measures.
Xinhua, Iran says ready to reopen embassy in Saudi Arabia.
Iran's Quds Force commander is in Iraq trying to converge the different Iran-backed militias and political groups about Iraq's pending cabinet membership. Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose party won the October elections, has indicated he will form a cabinet without the militia parties. Reports said the Iranian commander, Esmail Qaani, arrived in Najaf, south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, and later expects to meet with al-Sadr. "These meetings aim to unify the Shia house" after recent disagreements, a source said.
Arab Weekly, Quds Force commander visits Iraq as pro-Iran parties risk being sidelined.
Lebanon is scheduled to hold its first cabinet meeting in three months on January 24. Prime Minister Najib Mikati had said the meeting would take place when the 2022 budget was ready, and Economy Minister Amin Salam now says that work on the budget will be at the top of the agenda for the cabinet meeting. The meeting was called after two major political parties, Hezbollah and Amal, announced an end to their boycott of cabinet meetings.
Reuters, Lebanese cabinet to meet next week after three-month gap, Al Jadeed TV says.
The National, Lebanon's cabinet boycott ends but new challenges await amid economic ruin.
After Lebanon's Hezbollah and Amal paved the way to restart cabinet meetings, a member of the Lebanese Forces party said "the order came from Tehran." Ziad Hawat said Hezbollah and Amal, which he called the "disruption duo," acted to end their boycott of cabinet meetings in "repercussions of external negotiations." He said parliamentary elections are coming, however, and "the hour of reckoning is upon us."
Ya Libnan, Fears grow in Lebanon over Iran influence after Hezbollah, Amal end cabinet boycott.
The U.S. State Department denies Israeli media reports that it is facilitating a deal to ship gas from Israel to Lebanon. The department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said on Twitter that the reports "are false." The reported deal stoked controversy in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is the dominant political force and a foe of Israel. Earlier, Lebanon's ministry of energy and water issued a "categorical denial" about any gas agreement with Israel.
Middle East Eye, 'False': US denies brokering energy deal between Israel and Lebanon.
The world must tackle carbon emissions while continuing to make economic progress, a minister of the United Arab Emirates told a conference. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE minister of industry and also the UAE's special envoy for climate change, addressed Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and said: "We have seen 50 years of incredible progress... And in those same 50 years, the world has been transformed for the better."
He asked a "fundamental question." "How to keep moving forward while turning back the clock on emissions?" He said all industry should be involved in decisions, "because there is one thing that the history of every energy transition tells us, is that it takes time, you cannot simply flip a switch."
The National, UAE minister reminds world leaders to 'hold back emissions, not progress.'
UAE energy minister Suhali al-Mazrouei said the Gulf country plans to capture one-quarter of the global hydrogen market, producing hydrogen both by electrolysis and from natural gas.
He said the UAE is implementing seven projects and expects to export hydrogen. "There has already been discussion with many countries who we supply with hydrocarbons today , and they are keen to get hydrogen."
Reuters, UAE aims to capture 25% of hydrogen market share - minister.
Qatar expects to regain its position as the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas by 2026. Qatar's exports competed with Australia's in 2020, coming in second, then became the world's largest exporter of LNG. In 2022, the United States is expected to surpass both Qatar and Australia.. But with an increase of output coming onstream from its North Field, Qatar will again be in a position to overtake global competitors, a report said.
Gulf Times, Qatar to regain its top slot in LNG exports by 2026.
South Korea's president Moon Jae-in is scheduled to arrive in Cairo Wednesday to hold talks with Egypt on renewable industries. Moon is expected to be in Egypt for three days and will have a bilateral summit with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Egypt Independent, South Korea president visits Egypt on Wednesday to discuss business opportunities.
Egyptian Streets, South Korea's president to visit Egypt for the first time in 16 years.
At least seven protesters were shot dead in Khartoum by Sudanese security forces. The Sudanese Central Doctors Committee said more than 100 were injured amid gunfire that broke out when thousands of protesters marched toward the presidential palace in opposition to the military coup in October.
CNN, Sudanese forces kill at least seven during anti-coup protests, medics say.
A senior United Nations official said she is pushing for Libya to hold elections by June. Stephanie Williams, UN special adviser on Libya, said it's still "very reasonable and possible" for the country's 2.8 million voters to cast ballots by June, in line with a UN-brokered roadmap, after the country's first-ever presidential election was postponed in December.
Associated Press, UN official: Libya elections could be rescheduled for June.
MORE: Egypt, Algeria discuss foreign interference in Libyan affairs, Arab News... IMF official urges 'deep reforms' to Tunisian economy, Jordan Times... Sudan: newspaper ceases publication because of press curbs, AllAfrica... Tunisia military court orders release of two opposition politicians, Reuters... Egypt secured $10.2 bln in development financing in 2021, Ahram... Libyan eastern parliament speaker calls for new government, Reuters... Tunisia sentences nine militants to death over soldier's murder, Arab News.
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Analysts -- and Yemen's rebel Houthis -- say Abu Dhabi was attacked because the United Arab Emirates recently returned to the front lines of the war in Yemen after years of disengagement. The increase in participation by the UAE prompted the attack by the Iran-aligned rebels. The UAE in 2019 had announced it was reducing its military involvement in Yemen, but it has retained significant influence through financing and training Yemeni fighters.
Middle East Eye, Why did Yemen's Houthis attack the UAE?
Iran is closer than ever to being able to build a nuclear weapon, with the capacity to make enough fissile material for a bomb in less than a month. This compares to roughly one year Iran would have needed to do so before Donald Trump removed the United States from the nuclear agreement, writes Matthew Bunn in Foreign Affairs. As a result, reviving the nuclear deal is the least bad option for the United States.
Foreign Affairs, America has no good options on Iran.