Iran Navy targets Singapore ship

(MENAFN- Arab News) DUBAI: Hostile Iranian Navy guards fired warning shots at Singapore-flagged cargo vessel the Alpine Eternity in international waters in the Gulf on Thursday prompting the cargo vessel to flee into the UAE's territorial waters a US official told Reuters saying the account was based on preliminary information.
The Alpine Eternity an oil and chemical tanker ship issued a radio call for help to the UAE and the Iranian boats fired a second wave of warning shots the officials said.
UAE authorities heard the radio call and deployed coast guard boats in response. The Iranian boats then departed the area the officials said. The UAE coast guard said the cargo ship flying a Singapore flag came under fire from four Iranian boats in international waters in the Gulf.
'The ship sent a distress call to the UAE coast guard forces which responded to the call and helped ship access to the port of Jebel Ali' a WAM statement added.
Meanwhile relief agencies on Thursday used a five-day humanitarian truce in Yemen to expand aid distribution to some of the millions deprived of food fuel and medicine by weeks of fighting.
Aid flights have started from the UAE to Sanaa which is under Houthi control. The UN said aid ships had docked at ports of Hodeida and Aden.
A shipping source in Yemen said at least three ships with fuel and wheat had docked in Hodeida and in Al-Mukalla; Saudi Arabia had sent eight truckloads of diesel overland to Hadramout province; and Qatar had sent medicine and food via Djibouti.
The Houthi-run Saba news agency said two planes with medics and supplies from the International Committee of the Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres had landed in the capital.
In a significant development Yemen's legitimate government said Thursday it was recalling the head of its embassy in Iran accusing Tehran of 'interference in our affairs and support for the Houthis' rebelling against authorities.
'The legitimate government of Yemen is recalling charge d'affaires Abdullah Al-Sirri' a statement from the press office of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi said.