Yemen cuts diplomatic ties with Iran: report

The Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Iran, Reuters quoted a report on state-owned Aden television as saying Friday.

Hadi’s internationally recognized government is supported by Saudi Arabia, and a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in a war between forces loyal to Hadi and Houthi rebels, Shiites backed by Iran, in March.

Bahrain also recalled its ambassador from Iran on Thursday.

On Wednesday, forces of the Saudi-led coalition stopped an Iranian boat carrying weapons allegedly destined for the Houthis as it made its way to Yemen.

According to Reuters, as part of its campaign to defeat the Houthis and restore Hadi’s control, Saudi-led naval forces have imposed a near-blockade in the waters near Yemen, to prevent weapons from reaching the rebels. The stringent checks result in long delays and mandatory searches for shippers in the region.

Meanwhile, the United Nations said Friday that more than 500 children have been killed in the conflict in Yemen, while some 1.7 million youths are at risk of malnutrition.

According to the UN, at least 2,355 civilians have been killed in Yemen’s conflict since late March, and another 4,862 injured. Another 1.4 million people have meanwhile been forced to flee their homes.

A European-backed resolution calling for a UN investigation into rights abuses committed during the conflict was withdrawn this week due to pressure from Saudi Arabia.

The Dutch-drafted UN rights council proposal had called for a full inquiry into violations in Yemen since September 2014.

Saudi Arabia, which was totally opposed to such a probe, introduced its own watered-down proposal on Yemen, which instead supported a domestic probe.

After securing the support of the US and Britain, the Saudi resolution was adopted by the UN’s top rights body on Friday by consensus.