According to the UK’s Daily Express, a unit of 40 British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers arrived in eastern Yemen on Sunday to hunt down the alleged perpetrators of the attack on the Israeli-linked tanker Mercer Street, which killed two crew members, including a British citizen.
The report said the SAS soldiers landed at the Al Ghaydah Airport in Yemen’s Mahrah province, which borders Oman. It said the soldiers are working with US special forces that were already in the country training a “Saudi commando unit.”
The Express cited a senior UK military source who said the Mercer Street attack was launched from Yemen, which means the British are blaming the Houthis. “Everything points to the drone being launched from Yemen. The concern now is that an extended range drone will give them a new capability,” the source said. The report also said that US and Israeli intelligence believe the drone was launched from eastern Yemen.
The US has formally blamed Iran for the Mercer Street attack, a charge Tehran denies. The Express report is the first to pin the incident on the Houthis, but it lacks any evidence, and nothing is confirmed at this point. The report said the British soldiers are being aided by “local handlers” who have knowledge of the region and will help the UK hunt down Houthis.
Last Friday, US Central Command released a statement blaming Iran for the Mercer Street attack but made no mention of Yemen. The US often blames Iran for Houthis drone attacks inside Saudi Arabia. While the Iranians openly support the Houthis politically, it’s not clear if Tehran provides the group military arms. Yemen has been under a US-Saudi blockade since 2015, making it extremely difficult to get weapons into the country.
Israel has been threatening to attack Iran over the tanker attack, and the US is calling on the world to take collective action. Speaking to the UN Security Council Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it is up to “all of our nations” to hold Iran “accountable.”
If the first blame doesn’t stick there is always others to go to….Typical US and UK blaming wars…!
Mahra? Oh my. British once upon a time supported the creation of “independent” sultanates. Mahra was one of them. There are no Houthis there.
It is becoming clearer and clearer what was inly a theory. US is really trying to defeat Saudi Arabia. US used UAE and provided them with US private military in order to establish control over coastal region of South Yemen where secessionists had control. I do not know just how much UAE and their friends Israel, actually control. I know that they are occupying several islands.
Saudi Arabia is staring at a possibility of being blocked inside Persian Gulf AND Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia is continuing war against Houthis because it is the ONLY thing it can do to stay relevant in the struggle for either, a) preventing US from capturing control over Bab Al Mandeb, straits, and b) gaining access through South Yemen for its pipeline to Gulf of Oman, outside of the straits.
With trouble brewing with UAE (nominally about oil price), Saudi Arabia can be blocked by UAE from exiting through Straits of Hormuz. This threatens China’s oil supply and possibly trade shipping to Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt and Europe.
Mahra was one Saudi friendly statelets and candidate for pipeline. It looks like not,
Saudi Arabia must have its situation appraised — and has taken steps to get protection. In June, both Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined China-Russia led SCO.
Biden is gambling in this Yemen gambit. Acting like he is helping Saudi Arabia. Help Saudis to do what?
As there is no more journalism left in US — nobody will ask Buden any questions.
Isn’t there a British base very close to the Omani border, in Yemen ?
What a surprise that the US is training Saudi troops in Yemen.
I am confused are they looking for Iranian’s in Yemen?