Mysterious UAE‑aligned construction on Yemeni island raises strategic concerns

While Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to attack ships in the Red Sea, The Associated Press has obtained satellite images of mysterious construction on Abd al-Kuri. Something that appears to be a new landing site is being built on the Yemeni island, situated near a critical maritime route. No country has publicly admitted to the construction, yet the photograph shows the words "I LOVE UAE" written in the sand.

AP reported that a facility resembling a landing site is being constructed on the Yemeni island of Abd al-Kuri, part of the Socotra archipelago. The agency reached out to the United Arab Emirates, as the writing visible on the satellite photo, "I LOVE UAE," suggests involvement by the Arab state (in English, United Arab Emirates, UAE).

In response, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stated on Thursday that "any presence of the UAE on the island of Socotra is based on humanitarian grounds, conducted in cooperation with the Yemeni government and local authorities".

In satellite images taken for AP by Planet Labs PBC, the construction of a runway is observed. In photographs from March 11, trucks and other vehicles levelling the area are visible. Meanwhile, photographs taken for AP on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday confirmed active work, including likely paving of the area. The runway is about 3 kilometres long. A track of this length can accommodate assault, observation, transport aircraft, and some bombers.

The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea have become a battlefield between the Houthis and forces led by the United States. Supported by Iran, Yemeni Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the waters of the region since November. The fighters claim that this way, they support the actions of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas and its fight against Israel in the Gaza Strip. However, ships with no ties to Tehran were often targeted. In response to attacks that threaten maritime transport, Americans and Britons have been conducting air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since 12 January.

Source: AP, WP News