Future of western security is at stake in Yemen civil war, says country’s former PM

Iran-backed Houthi rebels are escalating their campaign in Yemen, with drone attacks signaling what a former prime minister and current presidential adviser calls a "new era of radical terrorism." The strategic battle for control of Taiz, near the Bab al-Mandab strait and key routes to Aden, could have severe regional consequences if the rebels advance. Concerns grow over the potential loss of critical Red Sea shipping lanes and the stability of Yemen’s UN-backed government. The conflict highlights deepening tensions in the region’s security landscape.

Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed says Iran-backed militia’s use of drones represents ‘new era of radical terrorism’The future of western security is being fought out in the mountains and hills surrounding the south-western Yemeni city of Taiz, the country’s former prime minster has said.Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, now an adviser to Yemen’s president, said it would be catastrophic if the city fell to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, since control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait in the Red Sea and the road to Aden – the site of the UN-recognised government – would be lost. Continue reading...