Hadi’s government controls 85% of Yemen: Arab Coalition

CAIRO – 21 December 2017: Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi’s government has taken control of 85 percent of Yemen, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Turki al-Maliki, said in a press conference.

Maliki announced a death toll of more than 11,000 Houthi militants over the past three months.

Concerning Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, Maliki said that resuming ballistic missile attacks is dangerously escalating the situation. Houthis fired 83 missiles toward Saudi Arabia, according to Maliki.

Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohamed al-Jaber, affirmed that Houthi attacks on Riyadh are backed by Iran.

“The Houthis and Iran granted the Yemeni people nothing but death,” Jaber added.

In terms of humanitarian aid, Jaber said that Saudi Arabia provided the Yemenis with more than SAR 8 billion (about $2.1 billion).

The Houthi group in Yemen assumed responsibility for the two ballistic missile attacks on the Saudi capital Riyadh, in November and December. Saudi air defense successfully intercepted both missiles.
In December 15, the U.S. Department of Defense presented a missile that it said Iran supplied to the Houthi militia in Yemen.

In an interview with CNN in November, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir called the attack “an act of war.”

Jubeir was asked about Saudi Arabia’s intentions towards Iran; he replied: “We have said we reserve the right to respond in the appropriate manner, at the appropriate time.”

Yemen has been involved in a war since 2015, between forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi’s government backed by the coalition and those allied to the Houthi rebel movement.

The coalition consists of nine main countries, including Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Qatar was expelled from the coalition over accusations of supporting terrorism and being too closely allied with Iran.