Egypt providing military support for Gulf Arab operation in Yemen
Ahram Online , Thursday 26 Mar 2015
Egypt providing military support for Gulf Arab operation in Yemen

Egypt is providing political and military support for an operation
launched by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies against Houthi fighters in
Yemen, the state news agency said on Thursday.

It quoted the foreign ministry as saying coordination was under way with
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries over preparations in taking part
with an Egyptian air, naval and ground force if necessary.

The announcement by Egypt "stems from its historic responsibility towards
the national Arab security" and "in defense of Yemen's security and
stability," the foreign ministry said.

Gulf broadcaster al-Arabiya TV reported that the kingdom was contributing as
many as 150,000 troops and 100 warplanes to the operations and that Egypt,
Jordan, Sudan and Pakistan were ready to take part in a ground offensive in
Yemen.

Unidentified warplanes had earlier launched air strikes on the main airport
in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and its al Dulaimi military airbase, residents
said.

That came soon after Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington, Adel
al-Jubeir, announced the operation.

"We will do whatever it takes in order to protect the legitimate government
of Yemen from falling," Jubeir told a news conference.

The ambassador said he would not go into detail about the support being
provided by Saudi Arabia's allies, but added "we consulted very closely with
many of our allies and in particular with the United States.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of those discussions.

"We have a situation where you have a militia group that is now in control
or can be in control of ballistic missiles, heavy weapons and an air force,"
he said, arguing that the Houthi advance could not be tolerated.

Jubeir said that the legitimate government of Yemen was involved in a
political process that had the support of the international community and
that no "outside militia" would be allowed to interfere with that.

Jubeir sadded that the assaults had been launched in response to a direct
request by Hadi, who supported Washington's campaign of deadly drone strikes
on a powerful al Qaeda branch based in Yemen. He has been holed up in Aden
with loyalist forces since he fled Sanaa in February.

Hadi remains in his base in Aden and was "in high spirits", one of his aides
said after the operation began.

Washington said President Barack Obama had authorised the "provision of
logistical and intelligence support" to the military action.

Yemen's slide towards civil war has made it a crucial front in mostly Sunni
Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Shi'ite Iran, which Riyadh accuses of stirring
up sectarian strife throughout the region and in Yemen with its support for
the Houthis.