Iranian Ship Carrying Aid for Yemen Docks in Djibouti

The Iran Shahed ship docked at the Djibouti port and is waiting for UN and ICRC staff to inspect it. After being inspected the vessel will head to the Yemeni port of Al-Hodeidah for unloading.

The Iran Shahed ship carrying aid supplies for conflict-torn Yemen docked at the Djibouti port where the cargo will be inspected in the coming hours by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), captain Massoud Ghazi Mirsaid told Sputnik.

"The ship docked at the Djibouti port and is waiting for UN and ICRC staff to arrive," Mirsaid said.

After being inspected the vessel will head to the Yemeni port of Al-Hodeidah for unloading.

The vessel with humanitarian aid provided by Iran’s Red Crescent Society left the Iranian port on May 12.

It is carrying 2,500 tons of humanitarian aid including flour, rice, canned food, medical supplies and bottled water. The passengers include doctors, international anti-war activists and journalists.

On Wednesday, Djibouti authorities refused the Iranian aid ship entry into country’s territorial waters.

On March 26, a Saudi-led coalition launched Operation Decisive Storm against Houthi rebels in Yemen. In late-April the coalition started the new operation called Renewal of Hope. Its purpose is to force Houthi rebels bring power back to legitimate leader Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and his government.

The United Nations estimates some 650 civilians have been killed and nearly 1,500 injured since the coalition's air campaign began on March 26.