On August 4, Yemen was on high security alert and thousands of troops were on a mission to keep the streets safe in the wake of the terror alert. In Sanaa, the fears and worries of ordinary citizens was not from Al-Qaeda but rather from the US drones that were roaming the skies of the Yemeni capital for the first time. Residents in Sanaa were shocked and scared at the humming noise coming from high above, and considered it the biggest threat to their lives.
Some would say, "Now we understand why President Abdurabu Hadi was given five star treatment by the United States in his latest visit. He sold them the Yemeni skies including the capital, and who knows maybe the Yemeni lives."
The drones remained in the skies of Sanaa for more than ten hours.
Will Sanaa soon witness a drone strike? The capital has never witnessed a drone strike. the closest the strike came were in Sanhan and Khawlan last year, both suburbs of Sanaa, where two strikes were conducted on suspected militants.
Today, roads in Sanaa were empty all day. Women were forcing their children in door fearing the worst. Men angered at how Yemeni lives have become so cheap. Restaurants were empty and people worried that Washington might turn Sanaa into the next Kabul, a city that is now a symbol of the US failed war on terror. Residents of Kabul can only dream to be safe.
If this continues, it could be the beginning of the downfall of President Hadi, and the beginning of militancy and ultra extremism in Sanaa.
Maybe this is exactly what Washington is seeking.

ABOUT Yemen Post Publisher & Chief Editor:

Hakim Almasmari is an American journalist and Middle East expert based in Sana'a, Yemen. His work has appeared for many of the worlds top media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Washington Post, AlJazeera, Fox News, The Guardian, The National, USA Today among numerous others. He has also worked with some of the world’s top organizations. Reporting out of Yemen for nearly eight years, he is the current editor in chief for the Yemen Post. He is a university lecturer in the field of international media and also studied business and law. Considered one of the top experts on Yemen, Almasmari has closely worked with international strategic centers and think tanks helping them better understand Yemen. He is a frequent guest on many international TV outlets discussing current local and international affairs. Almasmari's ancestors are from Yemen, and was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. His mother tongue is English and is fluent in Arabic.