UAE-Linked Airstrip on Yemeni Island Raises Strategic and Sovereignty Concerns

A newly constructed airstrip on Abd al-Kuri Island highlights the UAE's expanding regional influence, with implications for Yemen's conflict and international shipping routes.

• Satellite images reveal near-completion of a 1.5-mile-long airstrip on Abd al-Kuri Island, a strategic location in the Gulf of Aden.
• The airstrip is suspected to be built by the UAE, which has a history of expanding its military presence in Yemen and supporting the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis.
• The airstrip could serve as a key base for monitoring shipping routes and intercepting weapons smuggling to Houthi forces, which remain under a UN arms embargo.
• Houthi rebel attacks on shipping and U.S. and Israeli targets in the region have intensified, with experts warning of escalating tensions despite a potential Gaza ceasefire.
• The UAE's activities on Abd al-Kuri and nearby islands have drawn criticism from the Houthis, who accuse them of undermining Yemeni sovereignty and pursuing colonial ambitions.

4 Articles

Newsweek The Independent The Independent Associated Press