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March 30, 2015

Saudi Arabia: No End to Yemen Attack Until Houthis Surrender 
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Saudi Arabia says it will continue military strikes on Yemen until
Houthi rebels lay down their arms. There is intense fighting in the
coastal city of Aden, the stronghold of deposed President Abd-Rabbu
Mansour Hadi. The Yemeni health ministry says at least 60 people have
been killed and more than 500 wounded since the bombing began last week.
On Sunday, the Saudi ambassador to the United States said his government
had discussed the military campaign with the White House for months.

Adel Al Jubeir: "We have talked about the possible option of using force
with the United States for many months. This option became much more
serious in the last few weeks. And in the run up to making the decision
and putting together the coalition, we were in constant touch with the
White House and other U.S. government agencies about this. The decision
to use military force was made at the last moment with because of the
developments that were happening with regards to the Houthi's potential
occupation of Aden."

The Saudi government says it has not ruled out sending in ground troops
if the Houthis refuse to surrender. Over the weekend, former President
Ali Abdullah Saleh, a Houthi ally ousted in the 2011 Arab Spring, called
for talks based on resuming a political transition. Saleh also proposed
that neither he nor Hadi seek the presidency, but Hadi's foreign
minister dismissed the suggestion as "the talk of losers."

 

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