Al Jazeera: Cease-fire between Saudi-led coalition, Houthi rebels begins in Yemen
Prior to start, Saudi-led coalition bombs killed as many as 90 people in a single raid of a rocket base, authorities say
With cargo ships poised to launch a desperately needed aid operation in embattled Yemen, a five-day humanitarian cease-fire began Tuesday night, just hours after Saudi-led coalition warplanes struck against Houthi rebels and their allies.
It wasn't immediately clear if the two sides were honoring the cease-fire, which began at 11 p.m. (2000 GMT, 4 p.m. EDT), but only hours before it was to go into effect, Saudi strikes had pounded the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa.
MIDDLE EAST
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ASIA
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AFRICA
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EUROPE
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AMERICAS
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TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
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ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
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1 comment:
In Yemen Iran is close to establishing an unfettered sea-link. This is part of the price they're asking from the US for the "agreement". This would be a very public concession from the US and they're having a lot of trouble dealing with it, hence the bluster with the carrier and unofficial statements from US defense officials. The Saudis have said they will respond militarily and do not seem to be backing away from that statement, indeed the Camp David no show would tend to underline this.
The mid term strategic situation in Syria and Lebanon is now being decided in the Qalamoun mountains. Hezbollah, though achieving some local success is suffering from attrition exacerbated by their isolation. Even the Bekaa valley is under threat something unthinkable not that long ago. Lebanon itself is on the brink, the war is spilling into their territory. Hezbollah has publicly called for the entry of the Lebanese into the conflict. So far this has been rejected, how long they can stay out is problematical. Once they enter Lebanon will cease to exist in the political state that we are familiar with.
Conclusions:
The "agreement" been degraded down to the point of where it's only worth to the Iranis is how much can they gain from the West for it. For the West it is of political value only and even that is fading.
Without more funds the Iranis are close to limit of what they can achieve. If the sanctions are lifted soon perhaps they can pursue Lebanon/Syrian, Iraqi, and Yemeni efforts with vigor, but if not they will need to make decisions soon of which to keep, which to scale back for future action, and which to abandon.
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