DOHA: Saudi Arabia-led forces continued air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen for a second day yesterday, with Riyadh claiming massive destruction of the rebels’ military power in the previous night’s air attacks.
Saudi jet fighters dominated Yemen’s air space in the first night’s strikes and within 15 minutes attacked several air bases and destroyed the rebels’ planes, ballistic missile, telecommunications and early warning systems.
Houthi military command centres were also destroyed during the maiden air raids, Saudi wire agency reported yesterday.
Also targeted and destroyed were fuel storage tanks. “We were able to achieve our aim within 15 minutes of the strikes,” said Saudi military spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Assiri.
The strikes, titled Operation Storm Resolve, will continue unless “our aim is fully achieved”, declared Assiri, according to the news agency. “Currently, there are no plans for ground operation. “Saudi forces and the forces of our allies — our friendly countries (a reference to Arab countries) and our sister countries (a reference to GCC) — are ready to respond to any kind of aggression.”
In yesterday’s attacks, Houthi positions were pounded by Saudi-led strikes to prevent their advance. Al Tareq Military Base near Taez was also bombed. Taez is the third largest city of Yemen after Sana’a and Aden. Also targeted was the Houthi stronghold area of Al Malahiz in Sada near the Saudi border. It is a main base of the rebels, Sada civil airport and several key warehouses belonging to the Houthis. The Saudi-led operation has gained support of the international community, including the US, the UK and Arab states.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah said the go-ahead for Operation Storm Resolve was given after the Houthis rejected all solutions tabled by the GCC states to save Yemen’s unity and the stability of the entire region.
The operation was carried out at the request of Yemen’s legitimate President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, said Dr Al Attiyah at the preparatory meeting of 26th Arab Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.
Qatar News Agency reported that Dr Al Attiyah called on all parties and political forces to consider Yemen’s interests and jointly work to complete the political process. “We all have to line up for Yemen’s legitimacy and reject the policy of fait accompli to preserve the unity, security and stability of the country. Qatar will spare no effort to achieve that,” he said.
He said the preparatory meeting was held under challenging regional and global situation.
Arab nations are facing serious political, economic and security challenges “which calls us for joint action to address the situation and threats with a new vision that is in consonance with changes taking place around us.”
Threats to Yemen’s unity and stability have serious consequences for the Arab region. It also threatens international peace and security. We reaffirm our firm position by providing all forms of support to maintain the unity, stability and security of Yemen,” said Dr Al Attiyah, adding rejection of political legitimacy, national dialogue and state institutions in Yemen are unacceptable and not justifiable.
The White House announced President Barack Obama’s approval to provide logistical and intelligence support to Operation Storm Resolve.
However, President Hadi will find it difficult to justify calling for foreign intervention in his country if the civilian death toll begins to rise. The civilian death toll and the damage to the country’s infrastructure by Saudi-led coalition strikes will be used by his opponents to delegitimise and weaken him.
The longer the coalition sustains its operations, the more negative will be the implications for Hadi and his supporters. Therefore, the collation has to strive for ending the war, limiting the damage, reviving hope in the average Yemeni, constraining the Houthis and their supporters, rebuilding institutions, and designing an economic aid package to help Yemen recover and revive its economy, said the article.
For Iran, there are several possible scenarios. First, Iran has maintained a strong presence across the Gulf and may use that as leverage to influence future outcomes. Or, Iran could use the Houthis to engage the Saudis in a war of attrition in Yemen. In terms of what this will mean for Iran’s nuclear programme, Tehran believes there is no link between the P5+1 nuclear negotiations and regional issues.
Operation Storm Resolve will most likely introduce new alliances in the region and pave the way for international rehabilitation of countries like Sudan and Pakistan. Both countries will be reintroduced by Saudi Arabia as reliable and trusted allies against an aggressive and expansionist Iran. The Saudis, through this operation, have regained the initiative and demonstrated their ability to form coalitions away from the US and any Western country.
The Saudis and their coalition must be sensitive to economic implications of this war and its impact on oil prices around the world. Iran and Russia would prefer the expansion of the war and turning it to a quagmire for the Saudi-led coalition. But, the coalition has to be very decisive and conclude the war as early as it can with the outcome it seeks to prevent a war of attrition and stabilise Yemen and the Gulf at large, said the article.
The Peninsula
DOHA: The military strikes launched by Saudi Arabia in collaboration with nine countries against the Houthis in Yemen yesterday have serious implications for the region and the world, says an analysis by Al Jazeera Centre for Studies.
“While it is too early in the operation to fully comprehend the implications, the reality is that Operation Storm Resolve will certainly impact not only the actors involved, but also the global and regional balance of power, with new alliances likely not only in the region but also internationally. The fact that 10 countries are participating in the Saudi-led coalition indicates that Iran’s policies are rejected by a significant number of countries in the region,” said the article on the centre website.
Operation Decisive Storm (‘Asifet Al Hazm) was Saudi’s legitimate and logical response to block Iranian expansion in the Gulf and prevent a humanitarian disaster in the kingdom’s backyard.
“Therefore, this was not a war of choice for the Saudi-led coalition, but rather a war of necessity after all diplomatic attempts failed to convince the Houthis to adhere to the legitimacy of the leader of Yemen and their refusal to consider any peaceful solutions to the crisis.”
Oman has declined to participate in the coalition for domestic and foreign reasons: Oman borders Yemen and shares mutual interests with Iran. It has always played the intermediary role between Iran and the rest of the countries in the region, thus it prefers to remain neutral and influence the behaviour of key players from outside, said the article.
The Saudi-led coalition is sending messages to Iran and other actors in the international community by this operation. First, there is very little tolerance to Iran’s expansion and influence in the region. Second, Iran will not be allowed to meddle in the affairs of more countries in the Arab world. Third, the constant destabilisation of Iran and its proxies to many countries in the Middle East, will be met with unwavering force and strong resolve. Finally, the Saudi-led operation could convince Iran to change its aggressive behaviour and reconsider its current approach in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.
Bernadette Meehan, spokesperson for the US National Security, said in a statement the US was in close contact with Yemeni President Hadi and is coordinating closely with Saudi Arabia and other GCC states on issues related to security and common interests.
Meehan said the US was closely monitoring the terrorist threats posed by Al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula and will continue to take the necessary action to disrupt the ongoing threats against the US and its citizens.THE PENINSULA
CAIRO: Arab foreign ministers meeting in Egypt agreed a draft resolution yesterday to form a unified military force, in a move aimed to counter growing regional security threats.
“The Arab ... ministers agreed on adopting an important principle, which is forming the unified Arab military force,” Arab League Secretary-General Nabil El Arabi told reporters after the meeting Sharm El-Sheikh.
“The task of the force will be rapid military intervention to deal with security threats to Arab nations.”
The draft resolution will be referred to Arab leaders during their March 28-29 summit in Egypt. The idea was floated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. Reuters
