(MENAFN- Arab Times) Warplanes from the United Arab Emirates struck Houthi targets across Yemen, state news agency WAM said on Saturday, a day after at least 60 soldiers from a Saudi-led coalition, mostly Emiratis, were killed in an attack in central Yemen. Medical sources at hospitals in the capital Sanaa, which has been under effective control of the Iranian-allied Houthi militia for almost a year, said about 24 civilians were killed in the city as a result of the attacks.
WAM said the UAE air force struck a mine-making plant in the Houthi-dominated Saada province in northern Yemen, as well as military camps and weapon stores in the central Ibb province, causing "heavy damage". Apart from 45 Emiratis and five Bahrainis, Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya TV reported on Saturday that 10 Saudi soldiers were also killed in the attack in Marib province on Friday, quoting Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asiri, the coalition spokesman. Asiri told Al Arabiya TV that four Yemeni soldiers were also killed in the attack on the coalition base in Marib.
Friday's death toll was the highest for the coalition since it began its assault on the Houthis in March, and is one of the worst losses of life in the history of the UAE military. The UAE has played a key role in a Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting the Houthis after they pushed Yemen's President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile and took over much of the country. UAE forces assisted fighters loyal to Hadi in driving out Houthis and their allies from the southern port city of Aden, in a key victory for the coalition. In Aden, a government official said the police resumed their duties on Saturday with the help of the UAE after their work was suspended for more than five months due to the war.
In Sanaa, residents said the Houthi-controlled Defence Ministry building and the command of the special security forces were among the targets hit in further strikes by Saudiled forces overnight. The bodies of the Emirati soldiers killed in the attack on their base in Marib were taken to Abu Dhabi aboard an air force transport plane.
Funerals were being held on Saturday. The UAE government has announced a three-day mourning period. Bahraini officials said the five soldiers killed in the attack were also being buried on Saturday. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Al Arabiya that the troops were killed when a surface-tosurface missile struck a weapons storage facility at the Marib base. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have reported several deaths of soldiers in Yemen since March, but the total death toll for the coalition was not clear. More than 4,000 Yemenis have died in the same period. Abu Dhabi shares Riyadh's view that the Houthis are proxies of Shi'ite power Iran, accusing it of trying to expand its influence in Arab lands in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. The Houthis, who belong to the Zaydi branch of Shi'ite Islam, deny acting on behalf of Tehran and say they revolted against corruption. Hadi loyalists, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, had been massing troops and weapons in Marib in preparation for an assault on the capital, which the Houthis seized in September last year. "The incident itself does not change the balance that is there," Gargash said in an interview with Al Arabiya TV. "Marib will fall to the coalition," he added. Residents in Sanaa fear the coalition will step up its raids even further to retaliate for the attack. "I was close to the raid that hit the command of the special security forces, the explosions were horrific, I felt that the ground was shaking beneath me and people were running away out of fear," said Shawqi, a taxi driver.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will continue its support to Yemen and its legitimate leadership until victory is achieved, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan affirmed Saturday. Sheikh Mohammad, also deputy Supreme Commander of UAE's Armed Forces, said Abu Dhabi would continue its active contribution to the Saudi-led Arab coalition to defend Yemen until the restoration of security and stability in the country.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Hadi, official WAM news agency reported, a day after 45 UAE soldiers taking part in Operation Restoration of Hope were killed in Yemen. "These events will not make the UAE back down from its humanitarian obligation towards its Arab brothers," said Sheikh Mohammad, but would strengthen its determination to achieve security and stability in the region. "We are supporting you (President Hadi) until the end " We have a common history and ask Allah to achieve victory very soon," he said. Hadi expressed condolences for the UAE over the demise of the 45 soldiers who sacrificed their souls in defending Yemen. He expressed gratitude for the UAE and its people for their political, economic, humanitarian, social, educational and health support to Yemen.
Condolences
Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah sent a cable of condolences, on Saturday, to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud over the death of 10 Saudi soldiers who were killed in Yemen in an attack on a weapons warehouse. His Highness Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent cables of similar sentiments. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah made on Saturday a telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where he expressed Kuwait's condolences on the death of 45 brave UAE soldiers who participated within the Arab coalition forces in "Operation Restoration of Hope" in Yemen while performing their national duty. His Highness the Amir asked the Almighty Allah to bestow his mercy on the martyrs and inspire their families with patience and fortitude. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also made a telephone conversation on Saturday with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, where he expressed Kuwait's condolences over the death of five brave soldiers of Bahrain Defence Forces while performing their duty in defending the southern border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His Highness asked Almighty Allah to bestow his mercy on the martyrs and to inspire their families with patience and fortitude.
National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim sent a cable of condolences, on Saturday, to Saudi Speaker of Shura Council Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Al Al-Sheikh over the death of 10 Saudi soldiers who were killed in Yemen in an attack on a weapons warehouse yesterday. GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif Al- Zayani expressed deep condolences for the UAE and Bahrain whose lost scores of soldiers while on duty in Saudi-led Operation Restoration of Hope in Yemen on Friday. "The martyrdom of our brave soldiers in Yemen will remain a symbol of sacrifice and solidarity with our Arab brothers in Yemen," said Al-Zayani in a statement. He said the contribution of armed forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council to the Arab coalition aimed at defending the legitimacy in Yemen, restoring security and stability to the country, as well as protecting the people of Yemen. Forty-five UAE soldiers and five Bahraini servicemen were killed while on duty in Yemen. Al-Zayani said the GCC was determined to help the Yemeni people to restore their legitimate leadership and defeat those behind the unrest. He expressed condolences to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al- Nahyan, Bahraini King Salman bin Isa Alkhalifa, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Yemeni president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
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