Saudi coalition behind build up on Yemeni island.

 

Perim island in the Red Sea. NASA

The Saudi coalition is behind a major military build up on an Yemeni Island in the Red Sea. Reuters. A report from Associated Press showed a new airstrip and three hangers on Perim Island in the Red Sea. The Saudis responded to the report saying that the troops there were to counter Houthi rebels in mainland Yemen. However, they dismissed reports that the UAE has troops on the island as well. Perim Island is on a major trade route and would be a critical possession in any war against Iran. It may also help in efforts to prevent the Iranians from smuggling in weapons and equipment for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

 My Comment:

Fairly slow news day but this was mildly interesting. It shows that the Saudis are positioning themselves to counter any Iranian efforts to close the Red Sea. Having a major air base would effectively counter any attempts by the Iranian Navy to disrupt shipping. It would be used to launch air strikes against any Iranian ships that try to enter the area. 

I do think that the island base will help against Iran's efforts to supply the Houthis and that it is probably needed by the Saudis. They have had a major problem with the Iranians using hybrid warfare in the Yemen conflict. The weapons that Iran has smuggled into Yemen include ballistic missiles and drones, both major threats to the Saudis. 

In a major war I don't think that the Iranians could do much to eliminate this base either. They don't have a strong navy and their missiles will not reach the area. I guess they could have the Houthis try to launch missile attacks but I don't know if it would be a priority target for them. 

I think there is a small possibility that the Iranians may want to launch a war before this base is operational. I doubt they would do so but it would leave the option of closing the Red Sea, which will no longer be a realistic option once the base is operational. Still, I don't think a war is likely. 

As for the war in Yemen, I don't see any major changes. The country is still a mess and neither side in the conflict is strong enough to defeat the other. That's a major ingredient for stalemate. I don't think that anything will change in the Yemen conflict anytime soon.