The collective naval drill "Red Wave-7" has kicked off at King Faisal Naval Base in the Western Fleet, with the participation of countries bordering the Red Sea, including Jordan, Egypt, Djibouti, and Yemen, in addition to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, the Royal Saudi Land Forces, the Royal Saudi Air Force, and units of the Saudi Border Guard. Commander of the Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Mansour bin Saud Al-Juaid, said that the drill aims to enhance the maritime security of the countries bordering the Red Sea and protect the territorial waters, SPA reported. The five-day drill will achieve joint work, such as surface and air warfare, electronic warfare, and countering speedboat attacks. The forces will also implement maritime security exercises such as protecting shipping lines and combating smuggling, terrorism, piracy, and illegal immigration.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said today there is a need for urgent funding to support its Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program in Yemen, which plays a pivotal role in facilitating the safe and voluntary return of migrants to their countries of origin. Despite the successful voluntary humanitarian return of close to 6,600 migrants in 2023 and 2,300 earlier this year from Aden and Sana, additional funding is urgently needed to address the escalating needs of stranded migrants in Marib and beyond, the IOM said. Yemen has long been a critical transit and destination point for migrants hoping to access improved livelihood opportunities in the Gulf countries.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced on Monday that 37,000 people have been affected by floods in Yemen since the beginning of the year 2024. The UNHCR said on the X platform, "The devastating rains and floods in Yemen affected more than 37,000 people this year." It indicated that the scope of the emergency response has been expanded, and it helped about 9,000 people by providing shelter and basic household supplies. Yemen suffers from infrastructure weakness, and the consequences of floods increase the tragedy of residents.
At least 34,735 Palestinians were killed and 78,108 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza, the enclave's health ministry said in a statement on Monday. A spokesman has said the Palestinian group would continue negotiations for a truce in Gaza despite Israel asking people to evacuate from Rafah in the south, which has triggered widespread global alarm.
