Spain to impose temporary border checks on arrivals from Italy

Spain announced on Friday that it would temporarily restore internal border checks for travelers arriving from Italy in response to Rome's refusal to lift border controls on travelers arriving from Spain amid the recent migration crisis in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta.

The temporary checks at ports and airports will take effect at the start of Saturday and remain in force until Sept 7 unless circumstances change, according to a statement released by the Spanish government. The measures will include random identity and document checks.

The Spanish government said Italy had unilaterally reintroduced border checks on travelers arriving from Spain on Aug 1 without prior notification, describing the measures as "unjustified, discriminatory and contrary to the interests of the European Union (EU)."

Spain has called on Italy to withdraw the measures immediately.

Earlier Friday, the Italian government said it would maintain temporary checks on third-country nationals arriving from Spain until at least Aug. 15, citing national security and border-management concerns.

Rome said it "does not accept ultimatums or external pressure" on matters concerning national security and border management.

It also stressed that the controls do not apply to Spanish or other EU citizens traveling by air or sea, adding that Italian border authorities would seek to minimize disruption to legitimate cross-border travel.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the border control measures on July 31 following a massive influx of migrants into Ceuta. About 80,000 people entered the Spanish enclave at the end of July, nearly 75,000 of whom subsequently returned voluntarily.

Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the enclave, overwhelming reception facilities and creating a severe humanitarian emergency, Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas said Thursday.

The influx has fueled tensions among EU member states over border controls and the possible onward movement of migrants within the Schengen area.

Spain to impose temporary border checks on arrivals from Italy

Military clashes have escalated in western Yemen, with reports of intense fighting between Houthi forces and so‑called Saudi‑backed "mercenaries" in Al‑Hawk district in the northern part of Hodeidah province, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Friday warned of a growing risk of renewed large-scale conflict in Yemen amid escalating attacks by the Houthi group against Saudi tankers and Yemeni government forces.

In a statement, Grundberg pointed to the latest attacks by the Houthis in the provinces of Marib and Hadramout, which reportedly caused significant casualties, including civilians, as well as "attacks on commercial shipping" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

He expressed concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure including airports, and the broader escalation of regional tensions.

Taken together, these developments risk jeopardizing gains from the 2022 truce, Grundberg said, warning that they could draw Yemen into "a broader regional confrontation."

Grundberg noted he had held intensive discussions in recent weeks with Yemeni parties, regional actors and international partners to explore options for de-escalation.

He called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint," halt actions that could trigger military retaliation and engage in good-faith negotiations under UN auspices.

Yemen has been mired in conflicts since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

A UN-brokered truce that took effect in April 2022 expired in October that year without a formal extension, though a fragile de facto ceasefire has largely held since then.

The Houthi group announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping in July, citing what it called a Saudi blockade against Houthi-controlled areas, a claim that Riyadh has firmly rejected.

Military clashes escalate in western Yemen: report