Volcanic island sits in one of the world’s crucial maritime pinch points.
An unknown entity is building an airbase on Mayun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb off the coast of Yemen, reports the Guardian.
No country has yet admitted involvement, but the United Arab Emirates has previously attempted to build a runway on the volcanic island.
Officials in Yemen say the Emiratis are behind the renewed activity, even though the UAE announced in 2019 that is was withdrawing troops from the Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi rebels.
“This does seem to be a longer-term strategic aim to establish a relatively permanent presence,” said Jeremy Binnie, the Middle East editor for Janes. He said it was “possibly not just about the Yemen war and you’ve got to see the shipping situation as fairly key there”.
A runway on Mayun would allow whomever controls it to project military force across the entire strait and to launch airstrikes into mainland Yemen. It would also provide a base for operations into the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and east Africa.
