Yemeni Prime Minister Reports Seizure of an Iranian Boat

Reports indicate that Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr, the Prime Minister of Yemen, stated on Saturday, October 21, that an Iranian boat with 19 crew members was seized by local fishermen near a Yemeni island. According to Reuters, Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr tweeted that the boat was captured near Socotra Island in southern Yemen. The Yemeni Prime Minister also thanked the fishermen of Abd al-Kuri Island for seizing the Iranian boat. He did not provide further details regarding the Iranian crew members. So far, Iran has not officially responded to this report. However, Fars News Agency, citing a Yemeni website, reported that Yemeni fishermen handed over the 19 Iranian crew members to the coastal guard forces of Aden province, and these individuals have been transferred to Aden. Although the details of this news remain unclear, the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United States has repeatedly accused Iran of smuggling weapons to Houthi militants in Yemen. Since the onset of the conflict in Yemen, Iran has denied accusations from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries in the region regarding financial and military support for the Houthis, blaming Riyadh for worsening conditions in Yemen. The Houthis, who are Zaydi Shia Muslims from Yemen, managed to take control of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, in September 2014. However, Saudi Arabia, which supports Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen, has formed a coalition of Arab countries to carry out airstrikes against Houthi positions in various parts of Yemen. The forces of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, with the help of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, control Aden.