Mishal Al-Otaibi Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Air strikes by Saudi-led forces have eliminated most of the ballistic missiles which Houthi fighters captured from Yemen's army, a Saudi military officer said on Saturday. “We believe we destroyed most of these capabilities,” Brig. Gen. Ahmad Al-Asiri, adviser at the office of the defense minister, told a news conference here on Saturday. He said the coalition was tracking at least two rebel groups, assuring that Saudi Arabia and the coalition “will not allow” the Houthis to cross or threaten the Saudi border. These groups near Najran and Jazan borders have been dealt with, the adviser said. Al-Asiri said the first stage of the strike has been completed. The coalition forces did not face any resistance after destroying the fighter planes at the airports. They also destroyed the command and control sites and targeted Houthi fighters gathered at many locations, most prominent of which was the site on the Saudi southern limits. Apache helicopters and artillery were used in the operation. He said the coalition forces do not target infrastructures but only specific Houthi locations. Al-Asiri said they have precise information about the fortification of the Houthi militia in civilian inhabited areas and buildings. The rebels have also placed weapons on rooftops to trick the coalition forces. This was discovered and no strikes were made. It has been found that the militia is targeting the civilians and putting the blame on coalition forces, he said. The adviser said the operation is continuing, and it requires patience as well as hard work as the coalition forces are dealing with the militia which hides among the population. He denied any movement of ground forces. Earlier, Saudi naval forces evacuated dozens of Saudi and foreign diplomats from Yemen's main southern city of Aden hours before the Kingdom launched an air war on advancing Houthi rebels, Saudi Press Agency announced on Saturday. It said 86 people had been pulled out on Wednesday. “Saudi naval forces carried out Operation Tornado to evacuate dozens of diplomats, including Saudis, from Aden,” SPA said. Saudi naval forces deployed two vessels from the western fleet to Aden port with aerial and special security forces cover. The evacuation was successful and no injuries were reported as the vessels returned to King Faisal Western Fleet Base in Jeddah on Saturday. The diplomats were received by Captain of the Western Region Aerial Forces Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Qarni, Western Region Naval Maj. Gen. Saeed Al-Zahrani, Emirati consul, Qatari consul and a number of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
