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Arabia

25 killed in Saudi airstrikes in Yemeni capital

2015-03-27

[AA.TR] At least 25 people were killed and 40 others injured in Saudi-led ~~Arclight~~ airstrikes in Yemeni capital Sanaa, a Health Ministry official said Thursday.

"Twenty-five people were killed according to a preliminary corpse count," the official in the Houthi-controlled ministry told The Anadolu Agency.

He said 40 civilians had also been injured in the strikes.

"The corpse count is likely to rise in the coming hours," the official said.

Houthi-run al-Masirah television, meanwhile, said scores of civilians had been killed and injured in the ~~Arclight~~ airstrikes.

Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
launched Thursday a military operation, including ~~Arclight~~ airstrikes, in Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic...
against the Shiite Houthi
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ...
group, which seized capital Sanaa and several provinces.

In a joint statement, five Gulf countries -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates...
and Kuwait -- said the operation "was in response to a request from Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to protect Yemen from the aggression of Houthi militias."

The statement accused the Houthis of being a "tool in foreign powers that seek to harm the security and stability of Yemen."

Posted by:Fred

#4 Assad has some Russian backing as well which plays into it.

Saudi King proving himself is a bit as well, but if they don't do something here, then when and where? Yemen has a bit of a strategic position, and it gives them some practice as well before getting in the ring with a contender; even Rocky had a montage.

Posted by: swksvolFF 2015-03-27 16:10

#3 If you're a Soddy right now you gotta be a little paranoid. Iran has cats paws all over the ME and will soon get nukes with the Champ's blessing. So naturally the Soddies will also want nukes. Champ, having brought chaos to the entire region, is now abandoning it. Oh well, if they're gonna have WWIII at least they're having it in the right place.

Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2015-03-27 14:52

#2 at least until they drive all Yemenis straight into Iranian hands, for example."

And exactly where does this expert think that the victorious Houthis would have taken all Yemen?

a _supposedly_ 'Iran-supported group' in Yemen. They failed to do anything similar against a CLEARY Iran-supported regime in Syria in FOUR YEARs...?

And what threat was Syria posing to KSA along their common border? (Oh wait, they don't HAVE a common border)

Me thinks this "expert" doth protest too much.

Posted by: AlanC 2015-03-27 12:50

#1 From a discussion by a European expert on Small Wars Journal:

A European expert posts: "During the night, the RSAF launched the operation 'Decisive Storm' - against 'Houthis' in Yemen. The first wave saw a massive strike on Houthi positions in and around Sana'a. Bombardment lasted longer than two hours. Reports have it that 100 RSAF, 30 UAEAF, 10 QEAF and 8 RBAF jets took part.

While there are no details about specific targets hit by this bombardment, there are claims that one RSAF aircraft was shot down during attacks on air defences in Sana'a, early this morning (photos supposedly showing the crash site are fakes, though: they're showing protests from Taizz, few days ago). Some say by SAMs, other by ZSU-23-4s.

Second wave was reported early in the morning (about six hours ago). This appeared not as massive, and is reported as 'not as precise' (as the first wave). It should have involved 6 RJAF F-16s, plus 20 jets from UAEAF, 15 from KAF, 15 from RBAF and 10 from QEAF. Locals claimed another jet as shot down by SAMs around that time.

************

My commentary: to call this operation 'insane' would be an understatement.

For the start, and from what I get to hear from Sana'a, ALL Yemeni military units hae now joined the Houthis. Indeed, even most ardent anti-Houthi activists in Yemen are now twitting, '#### off Saudi Arabia'...

For years, Yemenis had to endulge all the possible empty promises by Salleh and his ex vice Hadi about 'national dialogue', promises to 'rectify problems of the country'. They're fed up of Saudis hegemony in particular, and even US support for such useless governments. They're fed up of their government's double play, including clandestine cooperation with al-Qaida. That's why majority of them - not only majority of civilians, but meanwhile all of the military too - joined the Houthis in their drive to remove that government.

But nah, because of the religious context, Yemenis are now all declared for 'Iranian-backed Shi'a', and thus free to get bombed - and this with US support?

Simply insane. But not unexpected or lacking logic:

1.) An absolute monarchy with Wahhabism as state religion (see Saudi Arabia) cannot tolerate any other 'kind' of state in Yemen, but a mirror of its own.

2.) New Saudi king is still struggling to firm his position on throne while under pressure from two different cliques within own family (at least one of which is actually 'pro al-Qaida'). What's a better solution but to go 'doing something' - in Yemen?

3.) His military is keen to show that they have learned their lessons from 2009-2010 (actually, some say, they would prefer to go bombing Tehran instead, not only Houthis in Yemen). Plus, every war is a great opportunity for various of prince-generals to earn a few extra bucks...

4.) Saudis are joined by Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Jordan, followed by Sudan, Morocco and Pakistan. They are all now now using the excuse of 'supporting legal government' that is demanding help from them - although this 'legal government' is in control of next to nothing in Yemen: Hadi is not even representative for his own tribe, then most of this has sided with Houthis...

They have declared the Yemeni airspace for 'closed' (or 'restricted airspace') and all seaports under 'blockade'.

What is a little bit surprising is the speed at which these idiots have gathered such a big force, an integrated HQ and whatever else - and then attacked a _supposedly_ 'Iran-supported group' in Yemen. They failed to do anything similar against a CLEARY Iran-supported regime in Syria in FOUR YEARs...? Guess, weak Yemeni air defences are much less a hindering factor.

At least amusing is that idiotic 'winner of Nobel Price for Peace' in the White House and his support for this nonsense.

But because of Western ignorance and highly effective PR, plus because they have enough aircraft, ammo, fuel and training, they can go on bombing Yemen for years, or straight back into stone age - at least until they drive all Yemenis straight into Iranian hands, for example."

Posted by: 3dc 2015-03-27 00:34

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