‘Iran steps up weapons supply to Houthis via Oman’ – Sporadic fighting strains fragile Yemen truce

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WASHINGTON, Oct 20, (Agencies): Iran has stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen, US, Western and Iranian officials told Reuters, a development that threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-monthold war.

The increased pace of transfers in recent months, which officials said include missiles and small arms, could exacerbate a security headache for the United States, which last week struck Houthi targets with cruise missiles in retaliation for failed missile attacks on a US Navy destroyer. Much of the recent smuggling activity has been through Oman, which neighbours Yemen, including via overland routes that take advantage of porous borders between the two countries, the officials said.

That creates a further quandary for Washington, which views the tiny Gulf state as a strategic interlocutor and ally in the conflict-ridden region. A senior US administration official said that Washington had informed Oman of its concerns, without specifying when. “We have been concerned about the recent flow of weapons from Iran into Yemen and have conveyed those concerns to those who maintain relations with the Houthis, including the Omani government,” the official told Reuters. Oman denies any weapons smuggling across its border.

Yemeni and senior regional officials say the Omanis are not actively involved with the transfers but rather turning a blind eye and failing to aggressively crack down on the flow. In a statement on Thursday, the Omani Foreign Ministry denied the Reuters report. “What was included in this report has no basis in truth and there are no weapons that pass through Omani territory,” it said. “Such issues have been discussed with a number of Arab coalition countries, the United States and Britain and have been refuted.”

The statement said the Yemeni coast, which is near the Omani coast, does not fall under Yemeni government authority “therefore these coasts are available for use by gun dealers.” In an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz last week, Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Alwi said: “There is no truth to this. No weapons have crossed our border and we are ready to clarify any suspicions if they arise.” The Iran-allied Houthis gained a trove of weapons when whole divisions allied to former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh sided with them at the start of the war last year. But Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s exiled government say they also receive substantial amounts of weapons and ammunition from Iran.

Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen, but denies it supplies them with weapons. Scattered clashes between rebels and pro-government forces undermined a fragile ceasefire in Yemen Thursday as global pressure intensified for a lasting truce in a country where millions are homeless and hungry.

The ceasefire, for an initial period of three days, took effect shortly before midnight on Wednesday under a United Nations plan which aims to allow sorely needed aid to reach suffering civilians. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after rebels overran much of Yemen. Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the insurgents, charges Tehran denies.

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