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Despite Saudi-led airstrikes, Shiite rebels continue to advance in Yemen Despite Saudi-led airstrikes, Shiite rebels continue to advance in Yemen
(about 2 hours later)
SANAA, Yemen — Shiite rebels continued their southward advance in Yemen, threatening to encircle a strategic port city, despite a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign attempting to halt their onslaughts with airstrikes and threats of a ground invasion. SANAA, Yemen — Shiite rebels reached the outskirts of the key southern city of Aden on Friday, boldly defying a bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia that is seeking to push them back and carve out a protected space for the country’s beleaguered president.
Residents and officials in Aden expressed concern that the rebels, known as Houthis, are closing in on the southern port city. The rebel assaults have been met by a campaign of airstrikes by the coalition of mostly Arab countries, threatening to ignite regional conflict over a volatile Arabian Peninsula country that hosts a powerful al-Qaeda affiliate. The drive by the rebels, known as Houthis, indicates they have not been intimidated by a growing, Saudi-led force of at least 10 nations that have pledged aircraft and ships in a major operation to stop the insurgents. The U.S. government is contributing intelligence and logistics aid to the Saudi-led offensive.
Still, Saudi officials appeared to play down concerns about a larger conflagration, saying the coalition’s attacks are intended merely to preserve the governing authority that Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi established in Aden in February after the rebels toppled him in Sanaa. The fighting reflects how this impoverished Arabian Peninsula country may be turning into a battleground between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, the region’s foremost powers. The Saudis accuse the Iranians of arming the Houthi rebels.
The Saudi comments suggest that the partitioning of Yemen between Aden in the south and the Houthi-controlled Sanaa in the north may not be out of contention. For the first time in the two-day operation, Saudi officials sketched out the scope of their military operation, indicating they might not try to completely defeat the Houthi rebels, but rather to safeguard enough territory for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to return from exile. He had established a government in Aden in February after the rebels toppled his administration in Sanaa, the capital. He fled Aden for Saudi Arabia this week as the insurgents moved in.
“I want to confirm that the operation itself has as its main objective to protect the government in Aden,” Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asseri, a Saudi military spokesman, was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency at a news conference in the Saudi capital on Friday. “I want to confirm that the operation itself has as its main objective to protect the government in Aden,” Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asseri, a Saudi military spokesman, told a news conference in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, according to the Reuters news agency.
Local media and residents in Sanaa, the capital, said the airstrikes on Friday targeted military installations controlled by the rebels, known as Houthis, as well as forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime Yemeni autocrat who was forced from power by a popular uprising that started in 2011. Other attacks targeted a port in the west and a military base in the oil-rich province of Marib, which the Houthis have attempted to capture in recent weeks. Anis Mansour, editor in chief of the city’s Huna Aden newspaper, said the rebels had seized a government compound on Friday in Dar Saad, about five miles from the center of Aden. They had also taken control of the city’s airport, he said. Rebels and pro-government forces have battled over the airport for days.
The Houthi attacks occurred even as the Saudi-led forces conducted a new wave of bombings. Local media and residents in Sanaa said the airstrikes on Friday targeted military installations controlled by the rebels, as well as forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime Yemeni autocrat who was forced from power by a popular uprising that started in 2011. He is widely considered to have thrown his support behind the Houthis.
Also targeted were a port in the west and a military base in the oil-rich province of Marib, which the Houthis have attempted to capture in recent weeks.
[What the bombing of Yemen means for the Middle East][What the bombing of Yemen means for the Middle East]
One early morning attack on the presidential residence in Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since September, killed at least two unnamed Houthi leaders and injured Mohammed al-Houthi, the rebel group’s top official in the city, according to local media reports. The Saudi-led forces also launched an early morning air attack on the former presidential residence in Sanaa, which is under rebel control. They killed at least two Houthi leaders and wounded Mohammed al-Houthi, the rebel group’s top official in the city, according to local media reports.
But Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a top-ranking Houthi official, called the reports “entirely false.” But Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a top Houthi official, called the reports “entirely false.”
Speaking by telephone, he accused Saudi Arabia of seeking “to destroy Yemen’s army” by attacking military bases. Speaking by telephone, he accused Saudi Arabia of seeking “to destroy Yemen’s army” by attacking military bases. The military has fractured, with some officers supporting Saleh and others backing Hadi.
Ahmed Abdulwahid, 22, said he watched the Attan military base, located near his home in Sanaa, explode into a fireball early Friday. Ahmed Abdulwahid, 22, said he watched the Attan military base in Sanaa explode into a fireball early Friday.
“There were three airstrikes. The third one, at about 5:30 am, created this extremely bright flash over the base. At first, we thought it was dawn, but then we realized it was just the intensity of explosion in the distance,” the university student said, adding that he also saw antiaircraft fire. “It was terrifying.” “There were three airstrikes. The third one, at about 5:30 a.m., created this extremely bright flash over the base. At first, we thought it was dawn, but then we realized it was just the intensity of explosion in the distance,” the university student said, adding that he also saw antiaircraft fire. “It was terrifying.”
The Saudi-led campaign includes at least 10 countries and is meant to halt Houthi advances, which have left vast tracts of Yemeni territory under rebel control. Early this year, the rebels effectively toppled the government of Hadi, a key U.S. partner in combating al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Hadi and other government ministers were placed under house arrest. Last month, Hadi escaped to Aden and set up a governing authority to rival the Houthi-controlled one in Sanaa. As Shiite rebels moved in on Aden this week, Hadi fled Yemen and resurfaced in Saudi Arabia, which has bankrolled his authority. Early this year, the Houthi rebels effectively toppled the government of Hadi, a key U.S. partner in combating al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, considered the most dangerous branch of the extremist group. Hadi and other government ministers were placed under house arrest. Last month, Hadi escaped to Aden.
[Chart: Yemen’s chaos, explained][Chart: Yemen’s chaos, explained]
Many Yemenis are concerned that the fighting is turning their country into another battleground between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, the region’s foremost powers. Riyadh accuses Tehran of arming the Houthis, who are followers of the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam. Tehran has condemned the Saudi-led attacks and called for an immediate halt to the campaign, which includes threats of a land invasion. Egypt has dispatched several warships to Aden.
Tehran has condemned the Saudi-led attacks and called for an immediate halt to the campaign, which includes Egyptian threats to mount a land incursion into Yemen. Cairo has dispatched several warships to Aden, which is under threat of capture by an allied force of Houthis and Saleh loyalists.
Speaking by telephone, Deif Allah al-Shami, a member of the Houthi political bureau, warned that “history will repeat itself” if the Egyptians deployed ground forces. That was a reference to the 1960s, when Egypt suffered tens of thousands of casualties while fighting a war in Yemen.Speaking by telephone, Deif Allah al-Shami, a member of the Houthi political bureau, warned that “history will repeat itself” if the Egyptians deployed ground forces. That was a reference to the 1960s, when Egypt suffered tens of thousands of casualties while fighting a war in Yemen.
“This time, however, their loses will be much greater,” Shami said. “This time, however, their losses will be much greater,” Shami said.
In February, as the Houthis advanced across Yemen, Egyptian officials warned that their forces would move to block the rebels from accessing a strategic strait that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Egypt’s Suez Canal, which allows ships to pass from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, is a key revenue source for the country.In February, as the Houthis advanced across Yemen, Egyptian officials warned that their forces would move to block the rebels from accessing a strategic strait that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Egypt’s Suez Canal, which allows ships to pass from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, is a key revenue source for the country.
Egypt has increasingly portrayed itself as a regional power capable of intervening in Arab countries that struggle with unrest. Last month, Egyptian warplanes hit jihadist targets in Libya in retaliation for the mass beheading of 20 Egyptian Christians by local militants. Egypt then publicly pushed for U.N. support for military intervention in Libya. Egypt has increasingly portrayed itself as a regional power capable of intervening in Arab countries that struggle with unrest. Last month, Egyptian warplanes hit jihadist targets in Libya in retaliation for the beheading of 20 Egyptian Christians by local militants.
With U.S. influence waning in the region, “Egypt’s role as anchor in a regional security regime will continue to grow,” said Hisham Kassem, a Cairo-based political analyst.With U.S. influence waning in the region, “Egypt’s role as anchor in a regional security regime will continue to grow,” said Hisham Kassem, a Cairo-based political analyst.
But Egyptian forces would probably face stuff resistance on the ground from battle-hardened Houthi rebels as well as elite military units loyal to Saleh. But Egyptian forces would probably face stiff resistance on the ground from battle-hardened Houthi rebels as well as elite military units loyal to Saleh.
Egypt fought a disastrous war in Yemen in the 1960s, suffering tens of thousands of casualties. Military experts warn that Egyptian ground troops, last deployed during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, are ill-prepared to wage a successful counterinsurgency campaign overseas. Military experts warn that Egyptian ground troops, last deployed during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, are ill-prepared to wage a successful counterinsurgency campaign overseas.
In Aden, residents were bracing Friday for a potential ground assault by Egyptian soldiers. Anis Mansour, editor in chief of the city’s Huna Aden newspaper, that residents have been looting two military bases in the city, arming themselves in preparation for incursions. Houthi rebels and forces linked to Saleh appeared to be encircling Aden on Friday.
Houthi rebels and forces linked to Saleh appear to be encircling the city, attacking forces loyal to Hadi and besieging the airport. Mansour, the newspaper editor in the city, said that residents have been looting two local military bases, arming themselves in preparation for incursions.
But for the most part, Mansour said, “the streets here are empty and shops are closed. There’s no more gasoline because all the stations are closed.”But for the most part, Mansour said, “the streets here are empty and shops are closed. There’s no more gasoline because all the stations are closed.”
Hadi’s internationally recognized government had appealed recently for military intervention from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is anchored by the Saudis and includes Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.Hadi’s internationally recognized government had appealed recently for military intervention from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is anchored by the Saudis and includes Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
In an apparent indication of concern over escalating events, a senior Yemeni official allied with U.S.-backed Hadi said Friday that the assaults could end soon. Speaking to the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television station, Riyadh Yaseen said he expected that “this operation will not go on for long. I think it will be days.”In an apparent indication of concern over escalating events, a senior Yemeni official allied with U.S.-backed Hadi said Friday that the assaults could end soon. Speaking to the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television station, Riyadh Yaseen said he expected that “this operation will not go on for long. I think it will be days.”
It was unclear how Iran would respond to the show of strength by Saudi Arabia and its allies. Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, told the country’s Arabic-language al-Alam channel that “we will spare no effort to contain the crisis in Yemen.” But Reuters quoted an unidentified senior Iranian official as saying that “military intervention is not an option for Tehran.” But the Houthi offensive suggested the fight might be more complicated than Saudi officials and their Yemeni allies expected.
The head of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby, and Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs, Sameh Shoukri, announced Thursday during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers that the officials had decided to create a unified military force to respond to crises. An Arab League summit beginning Saturday was expected to consider the creation of a unified Arab military force to respond to crises. The size, budget and mandate of the force have not yet been agreed upon.
The force — whose size, budget and mandate have not yet been agreed upon — was expected to top the agenda at an Arab League summit beginning Saturday at the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. According to the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya satellite channel, Hadi was to attend the summit, but the report could not be confirmed. According to the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya satellite channel, Hadi was to attend the summit.
Naylor reported from Beirut. Erin Cunningham and Heba Habib in Cairo contributed to this report.Naylor reported from Beirut. Erin Cunningham and Heba Habib in Cairo contributed to this report.
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