The moves by the Gulf states come after a diplomatic campaign by Iran to persuade the Gulf states to use their influence with Washington amid growing fears that Israel could target Iranian oil production facilities.

Recent years have seen increasing competition between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen, especially in Hadhramaut Governorate, a recent analysis paper said.

British Ambassador to Yemen Abda Sharif warned on Thursday of an environmental disaster threatening the Yemeni coast after the Houthi attack on the oil tanker Sunion in the Red Sea.

The Security Committee in Hadhramaut Governorate announced today, Thursday, its welcome of the decision of the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, to form a presidential committee to summarize the demands of the governorate, located in eastern Yemen, holding the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance responsible for the repeated power outages.

The European Union's Red Sea mission said Thursday it had evacuated the crew of a Greek-flagged oil tanker a day after it was damaged in an attack off the coast of Yemen, warning that the vessel now posed an "environmental risk."

The US Treasury Department today imposed sanctions on several companies, individuals and vessels for their involvement in shipping Iranian goods.