The United States will send a warship and warplanes to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help the country, which has been attacked several times since the beginning of this year by Yemeni Houthi rebels. Washington announced this on Wednesday.
The move follows a telephone conversation between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the country’s de facto leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the US embassy in the Emirates said.
The aim is to assist the UAE “in addressing the current threat”.
The United Arab Emirates has been standing with Saudi Arabia and other allies for years in the fight against the Shia rebels in Yemen. The Houthi rebels, which Iran backs, regularly attack targets in Saudi Arabia.