Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war

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Operation Decisive Storm
Part of the aftermath of the 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état and the Yemeni Crisis

The situation in Yemen, as of 26 March 2015:
  Controlled by Houthis and Saleh loyalists
  Controlled by Yemeni government forces
  Controlled by AQAP and Ansar al-Sharia
  Controlled by the Southern Movement
(See also a detailed map)
Date25 March 2015 – present (9 years, 1 month, 3 weeks and 1 day)
Location
Yemen
Result Ongoing
Belligerents

 Saudi Arabia[1][2]
 Bahrain[3]
 Egypt[3][4]
 Jordan[3]
 Kuwait[3]
 Morocco[3]
 Qatar[3]
 Sudan[3]
 UAE[3]
Supported by:

In support of:

Yemen Yemen (Hadi government)

Yemen Yemen (Revolutionary Committee)

Supported by:

 Iran[10] (alleged)[11]
Commanders and leaders

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani
Saudi Arabia King Salman

Yemen Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi

Yemen Mohammed Ali al-Houthi
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Ali al-Shami

Ali Abdullah Saleh
Strength
Saudi Arabia 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers (claim)[12]
Bahrain 15 warplanes[13]
Egypt 4 warships[14] and an unknown number of warplanes[15]
Jordan 6 warplanes[13]
Kuwait 15 warplanes[13]
Morocco 6 warplanes[13]
Qatar 10 warplanes[13]
Sudan 6 warplanes[13]
United Arab Emirates 30 warplanes[13]		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
39 civilians killed by Saudi airstrikes[16]

Saudi Arabia began carrying out airstrikes in neighbouring Yemen on 25 March 2015, heralding the start of a military intervention in Yemen, codenamed Operation Decisive Storm[13] (Arabic: عملية عاصفة الحزم) by a coalition of some Arab states. The intervention began in response to requests for assistance from the internationally recognised Yemeni government, due to a Houthi offensive aimed at its provisional capital of Aden.

According to Reuters, planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation. In addition, Egypt, Jordan and Sudan are ready to participate in a ground offensive. Pakistan is reviewing the policy as it is on friendly terms with both Saudi Arabia and Iran.[3]

Background

The Houthis (or Ansar Allah), a Zaidi Shia movement and militant group allegedly backed by Iran, took control of the Yemeni government through a series of steps in 2014 and 2015, which Saudi Arabia and other countries denounced as an unconstitutional coup d'état. By 25 March 2015, the internationally recognised president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi was holed up in Aden in southern Yemen, which he had declared the temporary capital, and forces answering to Sana'a were rapidly closing in on the port city.[17]

During the Houthis' southern offensive, Saudi Arabia began a military buildup on its border with Yemen.[18] In response, a Houthi commander boasted that his troops would counterattack against any Saudi aggression and would not stop until they had taken Riyadh, the Saudi capital.[19]

Yemen's foreign minister, Riad Yassin, requested military assistance from the Arab League on 25 March, amid reports that Hadi had fled his provisional capital.[20][21] A UAE official had expressed Gulf Arab concerns about the increasing influence of Iran (Saudi Arabia's regional rival) in Yemen through Houthis.[22]

On 26 March 2015 Saudi state TV station Al-Ekhbariya TV reported that Hadi arrived at a Al-Riyadh airbase and was met by Saudi Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud. His route from Aden to Riyadh was not immediately known.[23]

Air campaign

In a joint statement, the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (with the exception of Oman) said they decided to intervene against the Houthis in Yemen at the request of Hadi's government.[24]

The Saudi-led coalition declared Yemeni airspace to be a restricted area, with King Salman declaring the RSAF to be in full control of the zone. Al Arabiya said the first round of strikes targeted an airbase in Sana'a and destroyed much of Yemen's air defences.[13] According to Saudi officials, the strikes also destroyed a number of Yemeni warplanes on the ground.[4]

Al-Masirah TV, a Yemeni station controlled by the Houthis, reported that airstrikes hit a residential neighborhood north of Sana'a, causing dozens of casualties including children.[25] Iranian based PressTV and Al-Alam also cited children among the victims.[26][27]

Saudi strikes on 26 March also hit Al Anad Air Base, a former U.S. special operations forces facility in Lahij Governorate seized by Houthis earlier in the week.[28] The targets reportedly also included the missile base in Sana'a controlled by the Houthis and the fuel depot at the base.[3] Strikes overnight also targeted Houthis in Taiz and Sa'dah. Thousands demonstrated in Sana'a against the intervention, which ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh also condemned.[29]

Strength

According to the Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia is contributing 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers to the military operation in Yemen. According to Reuters, planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation. In addition, Egypt, Jordan and Sudan are ready to participate in a ground offensive.[3]

Kuwait sent three squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet aircraft to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Yemen offensive.[30] The UAE contributed 30 fighter jets, Kuwait and Bahrain 15 each, Qatar 10, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan six each.[13][31]

Naval role

Four Egyptian naval vessels crossed the Suez Canal and steamed toward the Gulf of Aden after operations began. They were expected to reach the Red Sea late on 26 March.[28]

The Saudi military threatened to destroy any ship attempting to make port in Yemen.[32]

International reactions

Supranational

  •  United Nations — Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said the UN is "looking into more details", adding that the UN does not believe in military actions to resolve the Yemeni conflict.[33]

State governments

  •  China — Chinese government expressed deep concern over the situation in Yemen, urging all parties to resolve the dispute through dialogue.[34]
  •  Iran — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the military intervention "dangerous development which will destabilize a region",[35] and the Foreign Ministry demanded an immediate halt on all "military aggressions" in Yemen,[36] The state media described the offensive as a "US-backed aggression" by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies.[11] Iran described and warned that Riyadh was taking a ' dangerous step'.[37] making clear that the Saudi deployment of a Sunni coalition against Shi'ite enemies would complicate efforts to end a conflict likely to inflame the sectarian animosities fuelling wars around the Middle East. A senior official said military intervention in Yemen is not an option for Tehran.[22] “We demand an immediate stop to the Saudi military operations in Yemen,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language al-Alam news network on Thursday, according to Press TV.[38][39]
  •  Russia — Russia’s Vladimir Putin called for an "immediate cessation of military activities" in Yemen and increased efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, the Kremlin said in a statement on Thursday.[41]
  •  Syria — The Syrian Foreign Ministry has expressed "deep" concern over the situation in Yemen. While Syria stresses the need to respect the sovereignty of Yemen and its independence, it calls on all Yemeni parties to embark on a dialogue to reach a political solution that meets the aspiration and will of the Yemeni people, said the ministry on Thursday.[42]
  •  Turkey — President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey supports the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen and criticised Iran's regional ambitions in both Yemen and Iraq.[43]
  •  United States — A National Security Council spokeswoman said the US would work jointly with Saudi Arabia to provide military and intelligence support while not participating in "direct military action".[45] President Obama declared that he had authorized US forces to provide logistical and intelligence support to the operation against Houthis as a "Joint Planning Cell' with Saudi Arabia.[46]
  •  Yemen
    • The Houthis declared that the attack is an aggression against Yemen, and that they were preparing to confront such attack without requesting help from Iran.[11]

Gulf Air, the Bahraini flag carrier airline, announced the immediate suspension of service to Sana'a International Airport amid the worsening crisis.[47]

Notable individuals

Ron Paul, former US congressman wrote in an article published in his website that the Saudi-led attack on Yemen is aimed at installing a US friendly dictator in the Muslim country. "We can expect the US to provide indirect military assistance to those who are prepared to invade Yemen and install a US friendly dictator," he wrote in an article published on his website on Thursday.” He wrote. [48]

References

  1. ^ "Saudi Arabia Begins Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  2. ^ Felicia Schwartz, Hakim Almasmari and Asa Fitch (26 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations in Yemen". WSJ.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Egypt, Jordan and Sudan ready for ground offensive in Yemen.: report". the globe and mail. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  5. ^ "U.S. supporting Saudi Arabia's military operation in Yemen – source". The Star. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Turkey could provide logistical support to Yemen operation". The Daily Star Lebanon. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Pakistan delegation heads to Saudi Arabia after Yemen request". Daily Mail UK. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Lebanon supports 'legitimacy' in Yemen: Bassil". The Daily Star Lebanon. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Rifi, Geagea offer backing to Saudi intervention in Yemen". The Daily Star Lebanon. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  10. ^ Lynch, Dennis (25 March 2015). "Iran-Backed Houthi Militants Seize Sensitive US Intelligence Documents In Yemen". International Business Times. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Saudi Arabia launches military operation in Yemen to defend president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi". ABC.
  12. ^ "Saudi Arabia launches airstrikes in Yemen". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Saudi warplanes bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". Al Arabiya. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Four Egyptian warships en route to Gulf of Aden". Ahram Online. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Egypt navy and air force taking part in military intervention in Yemen: Presidency". Ahram Online. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  16. ^ Planes of Saudi-led alliance pound Yemen capital, Houthi heartland
  17. ^ "Al Subaihi captured and Lahj falls as Houthis move on Aden". Yemen Times. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  18. ^ "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia building up military near Yemen border - U.S. officials". Reuters. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  19. ^ Hakim Almasmari (24 March 2015). "Yemen's Houthi Militants Extend Push Southward". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  20. ^ Beck, John (25 March 2015). "Saudi Arabia Launches Airstrikes in Yemen as President Flees Amid Rebel Advance". VICE News. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  21. ^ Template:Vi Phiến quân Shiite tấn công, tổng thống Yemen bỏ chạy. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015
  22. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia leads air strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels". Reuters.
  23. ^ "Yemeni's Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi arrives in Saudi capital". CBC news. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  24. ^ "Saudi and Arab allies bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". Al Jazeera. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  25. ^ "Saudi Arabia, allies launch air strikes in Yemen against Houthi fighters". Reuters. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  26. ^ "Gulf States Launch War on Yemen". Al-Alam. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  27. ^ "Saudis announce onset of military intervention in Yemen". PressTV. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  28. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia leads airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels". Al Jazeera America. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Coalition jets continue to hit Houthi targets in Yemen". Al Jazeera. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  30. ^ "Saudi and Arab allies bomb Houthi positions in Yemen". 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  31. ^ "Gulf states consider Yemen ground offensive to halt Houthi rebel advance". The Guardian. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  32. ^ "Saudi-led coalition strikes rebels in Yemen, inflaming tensions in region". CNN. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  33. ^ Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen Houthis RT News.
  34. ^ "China says deeply concerned about Yemen situation". Reuters. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  35. ^ "Iran condemns Saudi's Military intervention in Yemen". The Wall Street Journal. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  36. ^ "Oil up after Saudi air strikes in Yemen; dollar limits gains". reuters.com.
  37. ^ "Saudi-led forces strike rebel bases in Yemen as Iran warns of 'dangerous step'". Fox News. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  38. ^ "Iran's Zarif urges immediate end to Saudi attacks on Yemen". 16 March 2015.
  39. ^ "Iran, Syria condemn Saudi-led offensive on Yemen". Middle East Monitor. 16 March 2015.
  40. ^ "Arab League Voices against Air Strikes on Yemen". Prensa Latina. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  41. ^ Iran Yemen Saudi airstrikes RT News.
  42. ^ One India
  43. ^ "Turkey supports Saudi mission in Yemen, says Iran must withdraw". France24. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  44. ^ "Britain says backs Saudi military intervention in Yemen". Reuters. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  45. ^ Dilanian, Ken (25 March 2015). "Saudis Begin Airstrikes Against Houthi Rebels in Yemen". ABC News. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  46. ^ "Saudi Arabia launces air attacks in Yemen". Washington Post. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  47. ^ "Gulf Air suspends Sana'a service due to worsening security". Air Transport World. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  48. ^ "Ron Paul: Saudi-Led Airstrikes Aimed at Installing US-Friendly Dictator in Yemen". Fars News Agency. 27 March 2015.
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