Zuqar Island Runway Under Construction Since April

Planet Labs satellite imagery shows construction of a nearly 2,000‑metre runway and dock on volcanic Zuqar Island in the Red Sea off Yemen, with work beginning in April and visible asphalt laying and runway markings through October. No group has claimed the project, but ship‑tracking data show the Togolese‑flagged vessel Batsa alongside the new dock after coming from Berbera, and Dubai‑based Saif Shipping acknowledged delivering asphalt likely used on the island; requests to the UAE and other firms went unanswered. Analysts and reporting say the airstrip is likely the latest installation by forces aligned against Yemen’s Iranian‑backed Houthi rebels and joins a network of offshore runways, including sites near Mocha, Dhubab, Abd al‑Kuri and Mayun, believed tied to Emirati‑backed actors. The facility could enable extended aerial surveillance across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait at a time when the Houthis have attacked more than 100 ships—sinking four and killing at least nine mariners during the Israel‑Hamas war. Experts say it is unclear what would trigger its use in an offensive campaign and that a key goal may instead be countering Houthi smuggling and weapons flows.