Why in news
The U.S. launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, resulting in casualties.
This is significant as it's the first major U.S. action against the Houthis since Donald Trump's presidency began.
The Houthis have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea, disrupting international trade.
Yemen
Yemen is a country in West Asia.
Located in southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Red Sea to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south, sharing maritime borders with Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia across the Horn of Africa.
The Bab-el-Mandeb, the Gate of Grief or the Gate of Tears, is a strait between Yemen and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.
Sanaa is the capital and largest city of Yemen.
According to the Yemeni constitution, Sanaa is the capital of the country, although the seat of the Yemeni government moved to Aden, the former capital of Democratic Yemen, in the aftermath of the Houthi occupation.
The Old City of Sanaa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Red Sea
It is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia.
One of the most saline bodies of water in the world.
Bordering Countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.
Connected to the Indian ocean in south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden.
In the north are the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (leading to the Suez Canal).
Occupies a part of Great Rift Valley (Afro-Arabian Rift Valley).
Home to numerous islands, including the Farasan Islands, Hanish Islands, and Dahlac Archipelago.
COMMENTS