KABUL: (Middle East Press) Saudi Arabia has launched a military attack in Yemen where the Ansarullah fighters have developed power, says the Saudi ambassador to the US.
Warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force reportedly bombed the positions of the Ansarullah fighters and launched attacks against the Sana’a airport and the Dulaimi airbase early on Thursday.
The air war began as the internal conflict in Yemen showed signs of degenerating into a proxy war between regional powers. The Saudi announcement came during a rare news conference in Washington by Adel al-Jubeir, the kingdom’s ambassador to the United States.
The airstrikes have also reportedly targeted the residential Nasr complex in northern Sana’a killing 20 people and injuring over 30 others following the airstrikes in Yemen, Sputnik news agency cited local security and medical sources as saying.
“We will do whatever it takes to protect the legitimate government of Yemen,” said Mr. Jubeir, who spoke to reporters shortly after the air campaign had begun.
Jubeir added that the current situation in Yemen “is not an option” for Riyadh, saying the operation began at 7 p.m. Eastern Time (2300 GMT).
“We consulted very closely with many of our allies and in particular with the United States. We are very pleased with the outcome of those discussions,” he said. “We have a situation where you have a militia group that is now in control or can be in control of ballistic missiles, heavy weapons and an air force.”
Shortly after the Saudi strikes began, witnesses in Sana, the capital, reported that bombing had begun at the airport and that electrical power had been cut.
The Saudi envoy cited “outside countries” that are involved in the campaign, saying, “We have a coalition of over 10 countries that will participate in these operations to prevent Yemen from falling at the hands of the Houthis.”
Meanwhile, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE along with Saudi Arabia released a joint statement that they “have decided to answer the call of President Hadi” against the movement’s ”aggression”.
The statement, published by the Saudi Press Agency, included all member states of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) except Oman.
“We have air assets from a number of countries in the (Saudi) kingdom and we have military assets that are on their way to the kingdom to participate in these operations,” the Saudi envoy said.
Arab and US officials told CNN that an interagency US coordination team is in Saudi Arabia.
According to that report, Saudis have not called for any help but are likely to ask for American air support, satellite imagery, and other intelligence.
“We can help with logistics and intelligence and things like that, but there will be no military intervention by the US,” a senior administration official said.
