Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri says, in his third daily briefing, that the
"determination storm" operation has today achieved part I of its projected
goals
http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=1343367

Riyadh, Jumada II 8, 1436, March 28, 2015, SPA (Saudi Press Agency) Brig.
Gen. Ahmed bin Hasan Asiri, consultant at the minister of defense's office,
said today that the 'determination storm' operation is continuing for the
third day in a row, confirming that it has today achieved part I of its
projected goals.

He announced that the Houthi militias are no longer possessing any jet
fighter or any command and control over any airbase or outside the airbases
in Yemen.

In his third daily briefing on the campaign, which he held at Riyadh
airbase, Asiri said the air alliance forces today targeted ground-to-ground
ballistic missiles launching pads with most of them have been devastated, he
said. We cannot rule out that the Houthi militias resorted to keeping in
stores a big amount of them, he said, adding that work is underway to spot
them.

He said that the alliance forces are also targeting Houthi concentrations,
ammunition stores, equipment and supplies as well as their personnel
movements among the regions so as to wipe out continuing military operations
the Houthi militia is conducting towards Saudi border with Yemen or towards
Aden in the south.

He reiterated yesterday's announcement that the alliance forces are of full
control over the Yemeni skies. He said today's operations targeted the
remaining command and control centers, and ammunition and armaments
inventories throughout the country, confirming the strictness of operations
without harming innocent citizens.

He added that the operations also targeted the fortifications of the Houthi
militias accommodating their leaders or individual gatherings along the
border between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

He displayed a number of video slides showing the sites targeted by the
alliance forces, noting that no citizens were hurt in the fighting.

He asserted that the operations would continue over the coming days to block
the continuing Houthi troops, vehicles, equipment or supplies moving from
anywhere to any direction.

He cited the demolition of a specific building in which ammunition, arms and
equipment are hidden. The neighboring buildings were not touched, he said,
adding that a vehicle carrying a Houthi leader was shelled with precision.

He said the Houthi militia are taking residential homes of citizens as
hideouts and stores for their equipment, and sometimes installing
anti-aircraft equipment on top of civilian buildings to attract the alliance
to bombard them and commit killing of innocents.

Quite aware of this plan, our forces are going to wait until the buildings
become empty of citizens, he concluded.
T
He disclosed that the Houthi militias and other pro-armed-groups opted to
shelling residential areas with Mortar bombs to confuse Yemeni citizens that
the alliance forces were shelling at them, but that would definitely be
clear through differentiating mortar shells from aircraft bombs.

He said the process of attacking ammunition and arms stores has intensified,
particularly after the alliance forces have completed the attacking of
anti-craft missiles and cannons.

Meanwhile, the Houthi militia are busy moving their elements towards the
southern parts of the Kingdom, he said, adding that they are confronted by
the Saudi land forces.

Our land forces in Jazan and Najran sectors targeted several concentrations
in the past period, using field artillery and Apache to stop the Houthi
troops from redeploying near the Saudi southern border, he said, adding that
such operations are continuing.

On the other naval side, Brig. Gen. Asiri disclosed that the Saudi Royal
Naval Forces have launched over the last two days what they called 'Tornado
Plan' carried by the Saudi navy, using its battleships, aircraft,
helicopters and commandos to evacuate Saudi citizens, and members of
diplomatic missions from Aden province to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In this concern, 86 persons from 12 nationalities, including media
representatives and diplomats, were successfully picked into Jeddah this
morning, he announced.

In response to questions from the floor, Brig. Gen. Asiri denied any
resistance by Houthi militia to the air operation.

On the possibility of a ground forces operation to repel the Houthi
concentrations heading for the Southern border of the Kingdom, he said the
Saudi ground forces are currently evaluating the situation on the ground,
using field artillery and Apache aircraft to respond to the situation
accordingly.

About reports on a crash of an F-15 in the Red Sea, he attributed the
incident to a technical fault, confirming the safety of the pilots, citing
one as already returned to work and the other sustaining hand injury and
drawing attention to the possibility of losses in any military operation.

Asked on the progress of Houthi militias towards Aden, he said the
'determination storm' operation is being implemented according to a
timetable to achieve its goals, noting that the coalition forces are facing
militias which moves in individuals and light groups among residents and not
organized army, requiring the coalition to exert greater effort to remain
committed to not harm civilians.

In this regard, we continue assessing the situation, he said.

On the delay of evacuating UN personnel from Sanaa, he said the alliance
gave the okay to the planes to pick them, but the Houthi militias on the
ground are the ones who caused the delay.

Asked about the movements of infiltrating individuals across the
Yemeni-Saudi borders, he said the Border Guard authority was accustomed to
this phenomenon, citing the periodical statements issued by them to show the
situation.
However, there is no extraordinary movement along the border in the time
being, he said.

Asked to give an assessment on the strength of the Houthi militias, he said
their might is weakening day by day.

On the situation along the Yemeni Omani border, he said the Omani government
is efficient to protect its border before any Houthi threat.

Asked how the alliance forces are facing the psychological war being used by
the Houthi militias, he said our forces have counter plans to such
psychological war, and that the Yemeni people are aware of that as they
support the 'determination storm' operation which will restore their
legitimacy.

--SPA
00:12 LOCAL TIME 21:12 GMT