Strategic Location Could Impact Shipping In Gulf Of Aden

A previously unknown airstrip on the Yemen island of Abd al-Kuri has appeared on satellite imagery captured by San Francisco, California-based Planet Labs. The imagery shows that the airfield is nearing completion and when finished, could prove useful as a staging area for military operations patrolling the Gulf of Aden because the island is situated in the Indian Ocean near the mouth of the gulf.

The north-south runway has been paved and marked with “18” and “36” but there is a section not yet complete. At about 8,000 feet long, it will accommodate private jets and fighter aircraft but likely not heavy bombers. Some of the images depict trucks grading and applying asphalt over the incomplete section.

The Gulf of Aden is a key waterway for shipping cargo and energy through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to Europe.

The area has been under attack for months by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Speculation is that the airfield is being built by the United Arab Emirates, who have been suspected of expanding its military reach in the region and have been supporting a Saudi Arabia-led war against the Houthis.

The Houthis have been attacking shipping primarily in the Red Sea but have also attacked U.S. Navy ships both there and Gulf of Aden. They claim their attacks are in response to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, and they have attacked Israel repeatedly. There is concern that the recently announced cease-fire may not bring a halt to the Houthis actions.

Any miscalculation among Yemen’s adversarial parties, new attacks on Israel, or a deadly assault on an American ship could throw the region into chaos. And it is not yet clear what President Trump intends to do about the situation, although if the past is any indication, he could well order a massive response to put an end to the harassment by the Houthis.

FMI:  www.planet.com/