Latest nutty rumor: Israel stealing oil, tourism dollars from Socotra island

Last year, a rumor started that Israel and the UAE were establishing intelligence listening posts on Socotra, a strategically located island at the base of the Gulf of Aden. There might be something to that rumor, since it makes sense - the UAE seized the island in 2018 and both they and Israel would gain a lot from being able to listen to signal intelligence of countries and ships in the region.

The latest rumor about Socotra is a little less credible.

From Middle East Monitor:

The Minister of Transport in Yemen's Houthi-led government, Zakaria Al-Shami, has claimed that Israel is looting natural resources belonging to the strategic island of Socotra, and has been enabled by the UAE.

"The Zionist regime, under the cover of the UAE, is operating in Socotra, looting and plundering its natural resources, and taking advantage of its geographical location, crude oil as well as medical and tourism capacities besides its other riches," he said during a meeting in the capital Sanaa on Saturday.

Israel must be excellent at logistics, able to clandestinely steal oil without anyone noticing. And hospitals!

Iranian media also spread this rumor. Big surprise.

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