Saudi Arabia strikes Shia rebels in Yemen
Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition yesterday bombed Huthi Shia rebels in support of Yemen's embattled president, who headed to an Arab summit to garner support as Iran warned the intervention was "dangerous".
Powerful explosions rocked Sanaa soon after rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Huthi criticised the intervention as "unjustified" and called for supporters to confront the "criminal oppressive aggression".
President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi arrived in Riyadh, with officials saying he was on his way to Egypt to take part in a two-day Arab League summit starting tomorrow.
That was the first confirmation of Hadi's whereabouts since the rebels began advancing this week on the main southern city of Aden, where the president had been holed up since fleeing the rebel-controlled capital last month.
Their advance raised Saudi fears the Shia rebels would seize control of the whole of its Sunni-majority neighbour and take it into the orbit of Shia Iran.
The White House voiced concerns about "reports of Iranian flow of arms into Yemen" as the Saudi-led coalition declared its first wave of strikes "successful" and vowed to prevent supplies reaching the rebels.
Saudi Arabia launched air strikes before dawn, saying it had assembled a coalition of more than 10 countries, including five Gulf monarchies.
The Saudi ambassador to the US, Adel al-Jubeir, said the coalition stood ready to do "whatever it takes" to protect Hadi's government.
On the eve of the Egypt summit, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi also declared full support for the strikes following a "coup".
But Iran reacted furiously, condemning the intervention as "a dangerous step" that violated "international responsibilities and national sovereignty".
President Hassan Rohani said it amounted to "military aggression" and "condemned all military intervention in the internal affairs of independent nations".
After hitting targets overnight in Sanaa and elsewhere, the coalition launched fresh strikes late yesterday, hitting a rebel-held base in third city Taez and the airport and an arms depot in the Huthis' northern stronghold.
Explosions had been heard earlier in Sanaa as warplanes pounded an air base adjacent to the international airport and other locations, an AFP correspondent reported.
Families streamed out of Sanaa seeking the relative safety of the provinces.
"I am leaving with my family. Sanaa is no longer safe," said one resident, who gave his name only as Mohammed, as he piled his belongings into a minibus.
In the south, residents reported hearing explosions at the huge Al-Anad air base, north of Aden, which anti-government forces seized on Wednesday.
Saudi television said the kingdom had deployed 100 fighter jets to the operation, while the United Arab Emirates had committed 30, Kuwait 15 each and Qatar 10. Bahrain said it had committed 12 fighters.
Saudi Arabia had also mobilised 150,000 troops near the border, .
Riyadh said it was boosting security on its borders and across the kingdom, including at the OPEC kingpin's crucial oil facilities.
Washington said President Barack Obama had authorised the "provision of logistical and intelligence support" for the campaign. US officials told AFP Washington was looking at providing refuelling and early warning radar aircraft in support of the operation.
A Saudi adviser said the strikes had taken out Huthi air defences and destroyed numerous fighter planes, adding that the air force "has pretty much secured most of the Yemeni air space".
Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan said they were joining the campaign.
Like Iran, Shia-majority Iraq said it opposed the Saudi intervention, with Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari calling for a peaceful settlement, and Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah accused Riyadh of "aggression".
US Secretary of State John Kerry held a conference call with Gulf ministers to discuss the operation and "commended the work of the coalition taking military action against the Huthis," a senior US official said.
Yemen has been gripped by growing turmoil since the Huthis launched a power takeover in Sanaa in February.
The Saudi-led intervention triggered a sharp rise in world oil prices on fears the conflict could threaten supplies.
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