NYN | News
The eastern Yemeni province of Al-Mahra is witnessing new military activity that has reignited controversy over the growing foreign presence in the region. Informed sources have revealed the arrival of U.S. and British forces at Al-Ghaydah Airport, which has been under the control of the Saudi-led coalition for several years.
According to the sources, a new contingent of American and British troops recently arrived at the airport, located on the Arabian Sea, which has remained closed to civilian flights since late 2017. This development comes amid an expanding pattern of Western military movements in Socotra, Shabwah, the western coast, and several strategic Yemeni islands.
Information indicates that Al-Ghaydah Airport has effectively been transformed into a joint Saudi–U.S.–British military base, with reports of Israeli officers also present there, according to previous statements by Sheikh Ali Salem Al-Huraizi, head of the anti-foreign presence sit-in committee in Al-Mahra.
These developments coincide with growing public opposition within the province, alongside accusations that Saudi-funded “Nation Shield” factions are protecting foreign interests and suppressing protests against the military presence. Observers link these moves to a series of repeated visits by U.S. officials to the airport — most notably those by U.S. Ambassador Steven Fagin and the Commander of the Fifth Fleet in March 2023.
