3 / 2 / 8.000 / 126 / 253 / 729 / 2019 / 848 / 1.670 / 250 / 2003 / 2008 / 423.000.000.000 / 23 / 9 / 90 / 12 / 6 / 325.000 / 50.000 / 816 / +20 / 14 / 546 / 50 / 73 / 54.000.000.000 / 233.000 / 20.000 / 16.000.000 / 3.650.000 / 24.100.000 / 66 / 8 / 500.000 / 42 / 518 / 433 / 130 / 40 / 15.000.000.000 / 1507 / 1511 / 1967 / 1990 / 100 / 2015 / 2018 / 2020 / 2023 / 35 / 5 / 2.4 / 45 / 7 / 290 / 95 / 400 / 260 / 2024 / 2011 /  10.000 / 3.000 / 2.000 / 31 / 101 / 15 / 4 / 19,5 / 1.300.000 / 620 / 80

Yemen is currently tri furfurcated into spheres of influence: Iran (Houthi) controls the north of the country through the Houthi movement. Saudi Arabia exerts influence in the east through the Al- Islah party and the Nation Shield Forces (NSF) . United Arab Emirates (UAE) dominates the south through the Southern Transitional Council (STC) . The bilateral tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia , mediated by China , could contribute to regional stability. However, this could also exclude the United Arab Emirates from negotiations over Yemen, deepening the fractures within the Saudi-Emirati coalition.

The island of Socotra is currently under the control of the United Arab Emirates and the Southern Transitional Council , a Yemeni separatist group.   W ith a population of approximately 50,000 inhabitants, it is a unique place, whose native language, Socotri , has no relation to Arabic. Flights between Socotra and Dubai take two hours and are aimed at both regional tourists and international travelers and medical patients. Currently, ticket sales are handled by Al Bader Exchange, with a price of almost 800 euros for a round trip. Regarding visa requirements, visitors can obtain a visa upon arrival for u 100 euros or apply for it in advance at the Yemeni Consulate in Dub a i or at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Since 2015 , United Arab Emirates began to have a civil presence in Socotra through humanitarian aid; in 2018 , it deployed a military presence on the island. This intervention was labeled as an "invasion" by the then president of Yemen, Abdu Rabu Mansur Hadi , and the governor of Socotra, Ramzi Mahrous . In November of 2019 , 100 women dressed in niqabs protested against governor Mahrous, accusing him of ties to the Al-Islah , an Islamist movement.

In 2020 , the Southern Transitional Council attacked the central government and sent hundreds of mercenaries to Socotra between April and June. These took strategic positions in Hadib oh , which caused governor Mahrous to flee to Oman . Raft al-Taqlee , close to the Emirates , assumed de facto power in Socotra . In 2023 , the weakened central government of Yemen officially appointed Taqlee governor of the island. As a result, there was violent repression of protests and arrests of journalists and activists critical of the Emirati intervention.

In 2018 , Khalfan al-Mazrouei , leader of a charitable organization called Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was identified as the real power in Socotra. He is credited with the 2018 military operation and the 2020 coup, and is speculated to be overseeing the alleged secret construction of an airstrip on the island of Abd al-Kuri , visible in satellite images . The runway, still under construction, is planned to be 2.4 kilometers long and 45 meters wide. According to images from January 7 , 2025 , there were still 290 meters left to complete the paving of the runway, although trucks and heavy machinery were observed working on site. Aircraft taking off from this base will dominate the maritime routes in the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (which leads to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal) and will be able to maintain a permanent presence as well as a rapid military response capability.

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The island of Abd al-Kuri is 35 kilometers long and up to 5 kilometers wide . It is located 95 kilometers from Africa and 400 kilometers from mainland Yemen. Its strategic location at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden is significant, as commercial traffic in these waters has been cut in half due to attacks by Iran-backed Houthis. In recent months, they have launched more than 260 attacks , according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. I n January 2024 , the United States Navy seized a shipment of weapons near Abd al-Kuri, an operation in which two U.S. Navy SEALs went missing at sea. Such operations aim to disrupt the trafficking of weapons from Iran to the Houthis, a key activity in the region.

The design of a floating airport in Socotra is one of the finalists in the Fentress Global Challenge 2024 , an international design competition organized by Fentress Architects since 2011 . This contest has attracted over 1,000 proposals from students and recent graduates of universities around the world, with prizes including 10,000 dollars for the first prize , 3,000 for the second and 2,000 for the third .

The project was designed by Muhammad Aqil Mohd Amran and Nurul Hazirah Naim, students at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia . Their vision proposes a floating airport along the coast of Socotra, leveraging its strategic location for global tourist transit using VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) technology. Thi s proposal is futuristic and is presented as an effort for sustainability and respect for the natural environment .

 

The Indian Navy rescued 23 crew members, all Pakistani citizens, from the Iranian fishing boat Al-Kambar 786 . The operation was carried out by two Navy ships in the Arabian Sea. Piracy in the region has increased due to the activity of Somali pirates and Houthi rebels from Yemen. The boat was hijacked on Thursday by nine armed pirates off the coast of Somalia. The incident occurred 90 miles from the island of Socotra, Yemen. The rescue operation lasted more than 12 hours. The recent operation is part of a key geostrategic context for India, which seeks to strengthen its presence in the western Indian Ocean , including critical areas such as the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. On March 16 , 2024 , a C-17 Indian Air Force aircraft , in coordination with the Navy , deployed combat boats, weapons, and MARCOS units in a mission over international airspace. The operation was part of the support for the rescue of the cargo ship "MV Ruen" , hijacked by Somali pirates near Socotra .

Israel bombed key infrastructure controlled by the Houthis, including the Sana'a Airport , the Port of Al Hodeidah and several power plants , leaving at least six dead and 40 injured . In response, the Houthis warned that the aggression "will not go unpunished," while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the attacks until the rebels, whom he called "Iran’s terrorist arm" , are "neutralized". Simultaneously, the Houthis launched a drone strike on the ship Santa Úrsula in the Arabian Sea, east of the island of Socotra, claiming it violated their ban on sailing to Israeli ports.

The United Arab Emirates have been accused of damaging Socotra’s ecosystem since 2017 by introducing invasive crop species. The Eastern Triangle Holding Company , owned by Emiratis, has distributed more than 8,000 seedlings, including cantaloupe, watermelon, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants, to local leaders for distribution to farming operations. Experts fear irreversible damage to Socotra’s unique biodiversity, which includes 848 plant species, iconic trees like the dragon’s blood tree and various frankincense species, along with 1,670 insects and 250 birds, including over 100 endemic species. UNESCO has identified 126 invasive species posing a threat, including goats, cats, rats, and the Indian small civet , predators of endemic reptiles. The richness of marine life is also notable, with 253 coral species and 729 coastal fish species.

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In 2019, the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) was detected near Hadiboh, affecting date production, a vital resource for the Socotris. In 2018, hundreds of Opuntia cacti were removed through a joint project between local authorities and international experts, also proposing quarantine and monitoring facilities at ports and airports.

Between 2019 and 2020, UNESCO, which recognized it as a biosphere reserve in 2003, launched the Connect2Socotra campaign to raise awareness about the island’s environmental challenges.

It was declared a Natural World Heritage Site in 2008. Globally, invasive species have caused 60% of plant and animal extinctions, generating annual losses of $423 billion in 2023.

 

The economic crisis has severely affected Yemen, leaving 500,000 public sector workers without salaries for three years, and 12.240,000,000 children in need of assistance due to the dire economic and humanitarian situation. Regarding international violations, the conflict has resulted in 42 airstrikes by the coalition that violated international humanitarian law, causing at least 518 civilian deaths and 433 injuries. An airstrike in Dhamar in September 2019, using precision-guided munitions manufactured in the U.S., killed 130 detainees and left 40 injured.

Since the beginning of the conflict, coalition members have received over 15.000,000,000 dollars in military equipment, much of which has been used in human rights violations and war crimes. United Arab Emirates forces have armed and trained unaccountable militias, contributing to the proliferation of armed groups and the increase in human rights violations. Despite evidence of war crimes, countries like the U.S., the United Kingdom, France and other European nations continue supplying weapons to coalition members, in violation of international treaties such as the Arms Trade Treaty and EU legislation.

For example, the Minister-President of the Walloon Region (Belgium), Adrien Dolimont (MR), authorized the sale of spare parts for machine guns destined for Leclerc tanks in the United Arab Emirates, worth €325,000. This decision marks a break with the policy of his predecessor, Elio Di Rupo. Dolimont’s cabinet justifies the strategic shift by noting that, given the geopolitical context and the specialization of Walloon companies in defense, the arms sector will be key in the industrial redesign of the region.