The Houthi group in Yemen launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles on Saturday toward the Red Sea, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). "No injuries or damage were reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships. "This continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," CENTCOM wrote on X. The Houthi group has been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli war since Oct. 7.
Yemen's Houthis released 113 prisoners as part of a humanitarian initiative announced earlier this week, the Red Cross said Sunday. "The unilateral release of 113 detainees took place in Sana'a today," the humanitarian group said, adding that it mediated to secure the release. The prisoners were members of the Yemeni government and Red Cross representatives visited them regularly for treatment. There was no immediate comment from the government side. In April 2023, the Yemeni government announced the first prisoner swap with Houthis, involving around 900 prisoners from both sides. Yemen has been suffering from a war that began after the Houthis took control of the capital, Sana'a, and several provinces in late 2014. The conflict intensified in March 2015 when a Saudi-led Arab military coalition intervened to support government forces against the Iran-backed Houthi group.
On Sunday, the Yemeni government called on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to support education in Yemen, which has been affected by the war that has been ongoing for nine years. This came during a meeting between Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak and a delegation from the (UNESCO), in Aden. The meeting discussed areas of cooperation between Yemen and UNESCO, especially in the educational and cultural fields, preserving human heritage, and protecting historical cities and archaeological monuments that were vandalized and destroyed due to the civil war in Yemen in 2015.
Saudi Arabia appointed a new ambassador to Syria on Sunday, state news agency SPA said, the kingdom's first envoy to Damascus since the closure of the Saudi embassy there in 2012 during the Syrian civil war. Riyadh's new ambassador to Syria will be Faisal Al-Mujfel, SPA said. Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Syria earlier this year after the two countries cut diplomatic ties more than a decade ago. Syria reopened its embassy in Riyadh last year and appointed a new ambassador in December.
