Saudi warship hit by Houthi suicide attack returns to base

February 6, 2017

Jeddah, Feb 6: A Saudi warship targeted last month by Houthi suicide attackers returned to base on Sunday after completing its mission.

Southi

The Al-Madinah warship of the Royal Saudi Navy was in late January hit by a terrorist boat attack off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, killing two crew members.

It returned early Sunday to the King Faisal Naval Base in Jeddah, after completing its duties according to the scheduled timeframe, without any delay as a result of the attack by the Iran-backed insurgents.

Senior officers welcomed the warship back to the naval base.

They included Lt. Gen. Abdul Rahman bin Saleh Al-Bunyan, chief of staff of the Saudi armed forces, Gen. Abdullah bin Sultan Al-Sultan, commander of the Royal Saudi Navy, and Western Fleet Commander Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Zahrani.

The chief of staff met with the ship’s crew and officers and conveyed to them the greetings of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second premier and minister of defense, who praised the crew’s courage in dealing with the attack.

Al-Bunyan listened to a briefing by the captain of the warship regarding the terrorist attack, how it was countered, and how a resulting fire was swiftly tackled.

He expressed pride in the members of the Royal Saudi Navy for participating in military operations carried out by the alliance to support legitimacy in Yemen.

Two Saudi crew members were killed and three others were injured in the suicide attack on the Saudi patrol frigate, the Arab coalition headquarters said last week.

The Saudi navy warship reacted to the attack as required, but one of the Houthi boats rear-ended the vessel, resulting in an explosion and fire at the rear of the Saudi ship, which was extinguished by the crew.

The frigate was patrolling the coast of Yemen when the attack by three suicide boats took pace, the coalition in support of the legitimate Yemeni government said earlier.

The warship’s mission involved protecting the territorial waters of the Kingdom and Yemen, in addition to ensuring the safety of international navigation lines in the strategic Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

Al-Bunyan stressed that the damage to the warship was limited to a small area at the back of the vessel, due to the collision with the terrorist’s boat.

He added that the incident will not prevent the coalition forces from continuing their military operations, until they achieve their key target of helping the Yemeni people and the legitimate government in restoring the state and protecting it from Houthi militias.

Retired Gen. Shami Al-Zahiri, who was the first captain of the frigate in 1985, recalled memories during his more than six years as commander of the ship.

“After spending all this time, it was painful for me to hear that this ship came under attack by Houthi militias,” he told Arab News.

The retired general defended the warship’s technical abilities and its ability to counter a terror attack of this nature.

“I heard how some media outlets have been criticizing the ship’s technical abilities and its leadership after the terrorist attack. I think they need to read more about the circumstances of the incident such as the weather condition and how the terrorist’s boat approached the ship before they make pre-judgmental accusations,” he said.

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Agencies
July 26,2020

Jeddah, Jul 26: The city of Makkah is opening its arms again to welcome pilgrims for the annual Hajj — although only a handful compared with previous years.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event is limited to about 1,000 pilgrims, all from inside Saudi Arabia, about 700 of whom are expatriates.

Abdullah Al-Kathiri, an Emirati and a recovered COVID-19 patient, postponed his pilgrimage last year because it coincided with his wedding plans. “I’ve heard from many who’ve performed the pilgrimage in past years that it was always a smooth process, even with the massive numbers,” he said. “So you could imagine how it would be with the limited number of pilgrims this year. Surely it will be a great experience.”

Khadija, a Bulgarian expatriate, was overcome with tears when she heard she would be performing Hajj this year. “I didn’t expect they’d accept,” she said. “I’m sure this year’s Hajj will be an exceptional one in all respects.”

Dr. Haifa Yousef Hamdoon, a Tunisian physician in Qassim, is another who did not expect to be accepted because of the low numbers this year. “When I received confirmation of my request, I was overjoyed and couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Mu’taz Mohamed, a Sudanese pilgrim who also lives in Qassim region, praised the preventive and precautionary health measures taken in order to ensure his safety and that of other pilgrims, to enable them to perform the rituals safely.

After completing their arrival procedures, the pilgrims were taken to their accommodation in Makkah, supervised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. They will stay there for four days before beginning their pilgrimage on July 30.

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News Network
January 3,2020

Hong Kong, Jan 3: Oil prices soared more than four per cent Friday following claims that the US had killed a top Iranian general, ratcheting up tensions between the foes and fuelling fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region.

The head of Iran's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was hit in an attack on Baghdad international airport early Friday, according to Hased, a powerful Iraqi paramilitary force linked to Tehran.

Brent surged 4.4 per cent to USD 69.16 and WTI jumped 4.3 per cent to 63.84.

“Oil prices still have room for further upside as many analysts are still having to upgrade their demand forecasts to include a rather calm period on the trade front,” Moya said, referring to the warming trade relation between China and the United States.

“President Trump is likely to take a break on being ‘tariff man’ until we get beyond the presidential election in November.”

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News Network
May 21,2020

May 21: Mosques across the UAE will remain closed during Eid Al Fitr, a top official has said. The Takbeer, which is chanted before the special prayers performed on Eid, will be broadcast from mosques 10 minutes before the prayer time.

During the virtual press briefing held on Wednesday, Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson of the UAE health sector, reminded citizens and expats about the importance of adhering to the safety measures as laid out by the authorities.

Contact tracing process

"Before we began to use Al Hosn app to trace the contacts of Covid-19 cases, the tracking process used to take more than 48 hours. It also depended on the memory and honesty of people. The app is an AI-enabled methodological way to trace individuals who came in contact with Covid-19 cases so that they are isolated. It has proven to be an efficient way to stop the spread of the coronavirus," Dr Farida said.

Install the app

She called on all the public to install the app on their smart phones. "The success of the tracing system via Al Hosn app relies on its use. We hope 50 to 70 per cent of people in the UAE instal and use the app in an effective way."

No sermon

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Spokesperson for the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, said there will be no sermon for the Eid prayers.

He called on everyone to welcome Eid with joy and positivity and to stay connected with their loved ones via social media.

Mass testing

Dr Amna Al Dahhak Al Shamsi, the official spokesperson of the UAE Government, said mass testing continues across the country.

She stressed on the importance of adhering to precautionary measures and cooperating with the authorities.

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