Excerpts: Yemen's only gas terminal seized. Iran's hunger for power. Israel
checks-out Lebanon borderline April 14, 2015

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon)14 April’15:”Armed Tribes Seize Yemen’s Only
Gas Terminal”, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Yemen’s only gas terminal seized
QUOTE:”Armed tribesmen seized…Yemen’s only gas export terminal…after
soldiers assigned to protect it surrendered”, “the tribes pledged to protect
the instalations against looting”
FULL TEXT:Armed tribesmen seized control of war-torn Yemen's only gas export
terminal Tuesday[14 April] after soldiers assigned to protect it
surrendered, a military source said.

The tribesmen decided to organise their own security for the Balhaf plant,
operated by Yemen LNG, in which France's Total has a stake of almost 40
percent, the source said. Yemen LNG said Tuesday[14 April] it had stopped
operations at the Gulf of Aden terminal in the southern province of Shabwa
due to a "force majeure".

Southern tribes have taken up arms against rebels that have advanced from
the north in their fight against forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour
Hadi, who has fled to Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi-led air war against the Huthi Shiite rebels and allied troops is in
its third week.

Shabwa province has seen heavy clashes between southern fighters and rebel
forces.

Soldiers guarding the Balhaf terminal were allowed to leave after they
handed over their weapons, a tribal source said, adding that the tribes
"pledged to protect the installations against looting".

According to the military source, "members of every tribe involved have been
assigned to a force that will protect the port".

On Monday tribesmen overran the bases of two army brigades near the
terminal.

SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 14 April ’15:”Hadi: Yemen chaos driven by Iran’s
hunger for power”, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Iran’s hunger for power
QUOTE:”Yemeni president: radicalHouthi military forces… fueled by the
political and military support of an Iranian regime obsessed with regional
domination’ ”
FULL TEXT:Washington — Unrest in Yemen is being driven by “Iran’s hunger for
power,” President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi said Monday[13 April], urging Shiite
rebels to sit down at the negotiating table.

“My country, Yemen, is under siege by radical Houthi militia forces whose
campaign of horror and destruction is fueled by the political and military
support of an Iranian regime obsessed with regional domination,” Hadi wrote
in an op-ed in the New York Times.

“There is no question that the chaos in Yemen has been driven by Iran’s
hunger for power and its ambition to control the entire region.”

Hadi called for “continued international support to ensure military might on
the battlefield now.” “Two weeks ago, Yemen was on the brink of the abyss,”
Hadi wrote.

“The unprecedented level of Arab and international support brought us back
from the edge,” he added, referring to a Saudi-led coalition which has
launched airstrikes seeking to drive out the Houthi militia.

“The message they are sending is clear: Iran cannot continue expanding at
the expense of the integrity and security of other countries in the region,”
Hadi added.

He stressed he had asked for the coalition’s help, and warned “if the
Houthis do not withdraw and disarm their militia and rejoin the political
dialogue, we will continue to urge the coalition to continue its military
campaign against them.”

But the Western-backed president also called on the rebel militia to come to
talks about the Gulf country’s future. “It is not too late to stop the
devastation of my nation.

The Houthis belong at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield
terrorizing their fellow citizens,” Hadi said.

“Their ambition should be to establish a secure and stable Yemen.” He
maintained that Yemen should press ahead with implementing a new
constitution and transition to a new parliament representing both the north
and south of the country.

And Hadi blamed the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh for refusing to
“follow the roadmap for change,” adding he “must take responsibility for
anarchy in Yemen and call a halt to the needless bloodshed.” — AFP

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 14 April ’15:”Israeli Army Fires Flare Bombs
over al-Wazzani as Patrols Comb Areas alongBorder”
SUBJECT:Israel checks-out Lebanon borderline
FULL TEXT:An Israeli infantry unit combed on Tuesday[14 April] the border
line near several villages in southern Lebanon, hours after firing flare
bombs over al-Wazzani river at dawn.

The state-run National News Agency reported that three military vehicles
arrived at the technical fence as soldiers moved near the Wazzani river
after firing flare bombs and inspecting the area.

NNA also reported that a foot patrol combed the border areas of Ghajar, Wadi
al-Asal and al-Abbasiyeh, reaching al-Wazzani heights.

Heavy gunshots and explosions were also heard in the occupied Shebaa Farms
as drones flew overhead.
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Su Lerner - Associate, IMRA