US general: Washington cooperating with Riyadh to secure Bab el-Mandeb navigation
The US is worried about Yemen’s Houthi militia threatening international navigation in Bab el-Mandeb, Joseph Votel, the commander of the United States Central Command, said speaking to a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing.
The US general said that Washington is cooperating with Riyadh in order to secure navigation in the area, adding that sly Iranian activity poses a real threat on its long term stability.
Votel also clarified that the US’s intervention in Syria is solely to fight ISIS after the Syrian regime showed a lack of seriousness in fighting the extremist organization.
He accused Russia of playing a destabilizing role in Syria as “both arsonist and firefighter”, saying Moscow had failed to rein in its Syrian ally.
“Diplomatically and militarily, Moscow plays both arsonist and firefighter, fueling tensions among all parties in Syria... then serving as an arbitrator, to resolve disputes, attempting to undermine and weaken each party's bargaining positions,” Votel said.
"I think either Russia has to admit that it is not capable, or it doesn't want to play a role in ending the Syrian conflict. I think their role is incredibly destabilizing at this point," he added.
-
ANALYSIS: Why is Iran raising the stakes in Syria?
As the world continues to fail in stopping the bloodshed of innocent people in Syria, Iran seeks two main objectives of saving face back home & ... Features -
US urges Russia to help stop Assad’s bombs on Syria’s Ghouta
The United States pressed Russia on Monday to use its "influence" to secure an "immediate" full-fledged halt to a bloody offensive ... Middle East -
Houthi shelling damages historical mosque in Taiz
Houthi militias have shelled the Ashrafiya Mosque in Taiz on Sunday using a Howitzer artillery further damaging the historical relic which they ... Gulf -
Saudi Arabia: Iran’s missile support for Houthis could spread to al-Qaeda
Iran’s support for Houthi militias in Yemen could see ballistic missile expertise escape into the hands of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and ... Gulf