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Saudi Arabia launches military operation in Yemen

Saudi Arabia has launched a military operation - including air strikes - in Yemen against Houthi Shia rebels, the Saudi ambassador in the US has said. Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia acted to "defend the legitimate

Saudi Arabia has launched a military operation – including air strikes – in Yemen against Houthi Shia rebels, the Saudi ambassador in the US has said.

Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia acted to “defend the legitimate government” of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

The Iran-backed rebels have made rapid gains in recent months, forcing Mr Hadi to flee the capital Sanaa.

Residents said explosions could be heard in Sanaa and the city’s airport after the Saudi announcement.

Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, senior Houthi rebel, warned that the Saudi operation amounted to an aggression against Yemen and could set off a “wide war” in the region, according to Reuters news agency.

Recent developments have also raised fears that Iran – who is Saudi Arabia’s major regional rival – could be drawn into the conflict.

In a separate development, reports said the Houthi rebels had seized secret US intelligence files describing US operations in Yemen.

The files reportedly contained informants’ identities as well as counter-terrorism operation plans, the Los Angeles Times reportsed.

‘Ransom for president’

Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, Mr Jubeir said the Saudi operation – which involved air strikes – began at 23:00 GMT.

 

Mr Jubeir stressed that the Saudis “will do anything necessary” to protect the people of the neighbouring Yemen and “the legitimate government of Yemen”.

This come despite sources in Saudi Arabia telling Reuters earlier on Wednesday that there were no plans for military intervention in the crisis, and that the reported build-up of military forces on its border with Yemen was “purely defensive”.

Mr Jubeir also said Gulf states supported the Saudi operation.

According to a statement issued by the Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said they would answer President Hadi’s call for help.

The countries are members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), who Mr Hadi earlier urged to intervene.

The embattled Yemeni president also asked the UN Security Council to back military action by “willing countries” against the Houthi rebels.

Also on Wednesday, reports said Mr Hadi fled his palace in Aden as the rebels rebels advanced towards the southern port city.

But Yemeni government officials denied suggestions that the president has fled the country, and said he remained in Aden.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s state television, which is controlled by the rebels, announced a ransom for anyone who captures the “fugitive” president.

Yemen – who is fighting whom?

The Houthis: Zaidi Shia-led rebels from the north, who seized control of Sanaa last year and have since been expanding their control

President Hadi: Backed by military and police loyalists, and by militia known as Popular Resistance Committees, he is trying to fight back against the rebels from his stronghold in the south

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: Seen by the US as the most dangerous offshoot of al-Qaeda, AQAP opposes both the Houthis and President Hadi.

Islamic State: A Yemeni affiliate of IS has recently emerged, which seeks to eclipse AQAP.

Source:BBC

 

 

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8 COMMENTS
  • AHMED SALEH March 25, 2015

    The final result of most countries with reputation in corrupt system for too long end up in to
    this kind destructive scenario . It is a learning lesson for us before we face same fate .

  • Fanko March 25, 2015

    Oh! another disaster added to the region. We had Somalia a confirmed failed state and now being joined by Yemen. To add petrol to the raging fire, the most filthy and twisted Saudi Arabian Wahabists are now rushing into Yemen with their American made “flying camels” and bombs. This will only exacerbate the Sunni-Shia rift in the Middle east where Iran and the Saudi led Arabs may come in a direct collision where Syria and Iraq are already in the frying pan. Lets wait and see how the Iranians will play this game in Bahrain, the eastern Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. There is no doubt that the Shias are one of the most oppressed and alienated groups in the Arab world.

    The Wahabist Saudis and the extremist among the Sunnis including Al Qaida, ISIL/ISIS also still believe that “Muslims who seek intercession from holy men — such as the Imams Shia revere — are not true Muslims.”

    Is it a curse to live in this region? I have more respect to my proud ancestors who maintained their own customs, identity and languages despite living in the worst neighborhood of the world. I always ask, how were the Afars and Somalis able to keep their languages and tradition intact despite living less one hundred kilometers from the Arab world while many others had lost it or are willing to get rid of their own heritage?

  • eriman March 26, 2015

    God save the region.
    It is become a war zone all over

  • Dahlak March 26, 2015

    The so called Arab spring has never been about establishing individual liberty and democracy in their countries. The Arabs have historically nothing but Islam. Indeed, it is a curse to live in this region as well as to be neighbours to these backward and arrogant Muslim Arabs.

    The West’s policy towards the Horn of Africa and the Middle East has two sides. The first one is to prevent terrorism from reaching their soil. The second is to make sure goods and services flow uninterrupted to the West through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. As for Saudi Arabia and Iran are two ugly big monkeys (drunk of filthy oil) fighting over who represent Mohammed’s Islam in our poor region.

    Thanks to the brutal dictator in Eritrea, dividing Eritrea into regions and sub regions such as ‘Zobas’ and ‘nus-zobas’ may lesson the risk associated with regionalism such as Hammasien, Akeleguzay and Seraye. The people who live in these regions may begin to see themselves as one Habesha tribe with shared common ancestry and culture. The religion of Islam in Eritrea, on the other hand, may turn suddenly into a time bomb whose detonation may be triggered by Muslim extremists influenced by radical and violent Salafists who would like to declare Jihad against moderate Muslims, Christians, and other secularists.
    Egypt’s Muslim brotherhood and Nigeria’s boko haram, though they may not be Salafists, are prime examples as to what can happen in our poor ‘zeyHalifela’ Eritrea.

    • AHMED SALEH March 26, 2015

      Your ill wish won’t work among Eritreans and
      we know who you are regardless your attempts
      using different pen names .
      Give up mr. Mahber Andnet tigray tigrigni !

  • anti-higdef March 26, 2015

    “The religion of Islam in Eritrea, on the other hand, may turn suddenly into a time bomb whose detonation may be triggered by Muslim extremists influenced by radical and violent Salafists who would like to declare Jihad against moderate Muslims, Christians, and other secularists.”

    Dahlak

    Dear Assenna

    Please stop these type of postings.
    We Eritreans have enough of our political problems. Adding controversial religious element into the mix will only add more fuel to the fire.

  • Teclay March 28, 2015

    Have you heard the top news of the week connecting with the chaos in Yemen?
    If you have health problem like heart you are recommended not to read the news…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
    “Saudi officials threatened to get their own nuclear weapons” ..Some of you may think this is a jock ,but they mean it .This threat was made by the Saudi ambassador to the UK.
    Imagine ! Imagine !Saudi with nuclear bomb ! Some of you may think ,where do they are going to store it ? No they do not need a storage ,anyway thy are going to use it immediately fresh.
    The well known slogan ….,…,….and then Bummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    “ጠፋእና ስላስ” በለ ሰብኣይ

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