Mark Collins – Yemen: Emiratis Hammering Houthis

Heavy armour hammers included (French tanks):

1) The UAE Just Effectively Invaded Yemen

Around 3000 troops just landed in Aden largely under the world media’s radar

…

2) Analysis: Emirati armoured brigade spearheads Aden breakout

An Emirati Leclerc main battle tank [more here] fitted with the AZUR urban warfare protection package advances towards Al-Anad Air Base on 3 August. Source: PA Photos

The impasse in Yemen’s conflict appears to have been broken by the deployment of a powerful Emirati armoured formation: a logistical triumph that has helped pro-government forces push out of the southern port city of Aden and capture Al-Anad Air Base 48 km to the northwest.

The military deployment has not been announced by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or covered by the country’s media, but its scale has become increasingly apparent as more photographs and videos have emerged from southern Yemen since 12 July…

By 3 August the UAE had landed Leclerc tanks, additional BMP-3s (seemingly not carrying any infantry), at least one 155 mm G6 self-propelled howitzer, and Agrab mortar carriers. One video clip showed nine Leclercs driving out of Aden, meaning at least one tank battalion (squadron) has been landed…

Quite odd that lack of major media attention. And the US government, for its part, has been silent. How will Iran react to such large-scale intervention?

Mark Collins, a prolific Ottawa blogger, is a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute; he tweets @Mark3Ds

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