REINFORCEMENTS

Iran to Deploy Military to Combat Giant Locust Invasion

The giant locust swarm has traveled across regions in Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.

Iran said it may deploy its military to help fight an incoming locust invasion after swarms of the massive insects crossed into the Arabian Peninsula from Africa. The desert locust has been particularly prolific this year thanks to heavy rains in Africa where they destroyed crops and ruined farmers’ livelihoods. An official with the Iranian Agriculture Ministry said the military could help reach susceptible outlying areas to destroy the insects. “The military have promised to help fight the desert locusts, including by providing all-terrain vehicles for use in areas which are hard to access,” spokesman Mohammad Reza Mir said Saturday. The swarms of locusts have caused considerable damage to crops in the Horn of Africa and East Africa before moving on to the Arabian Peninsula.