Saudi Arabia launched military operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen

Saudi Arabia on 25 March 2015 launched a military operation including airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthi rebels, who drove out the Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. It launched the operation in coalition with nine other countries of the region.

The operation against the Houthi rebels was launched to defend and support the legitimate government of Yemen and prevent the radical Houthi movement from taking over the country.

At present, the action is confined to airstrikes on various targets around Yemen. The airstrikes have targeted the Presidential palace and the police and Special Forces headquarters in the capital, Sanaa.

The operation led by Saudi Arabia is joined by Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan and countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), viz., Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Besides, the US President Barack Obama though had authorised logistical and intelligence support for the operation but US forces will not participate directly in the operation in Yemen.
Earlier, the President of Yemen Abd-Rabbu Mansour fled his palace in Aden as Houthi rebels advanced towards the southern port city.

Iran backed Shiite rebels have been demanding economic and political reforms in Yemen and have made rapid gains in recent months. In the third week of March 2015, Shiite rebels seized Yemen’s third largest city Taiz and in February 2015 took command of the capital Sanaa leading to the US closing its operation in Sanaa.