Saudi airstrikes ‘removed’ threats posed to Kingdom

Anti-Houthi coalition airstrikes in Yemen removed any threat posed to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, the Kingdom’s ministry of defense said on Tuesday.

Sorties reportedly targeted and destroyed ballistic missiles operated by Houthis and militias loyal to deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, a statement said.

Since the beginning of the operation in March, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri has held daily press briefings on the situation on Yemen. Today’s developments were relayed through a statement carried by Al Arabiya News Channel from Saudi television.

Also on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Abdulaziz ordered on Tuesday that the Kingdom’s National Guard take part in the military campaign in Yemen, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

Minister of the Saudi National Guard Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah said his forces are on high alert and are ready to take part in Operation Decisive Storm, a Saudi-led coalition of 10 states battling the advance of the Iran-backed rebels.

The National Guard is “honored to answer the call to join their brothers and colleagues in other military bodies,” Prince Mutaib was quoted by Al Arabiya as saying.

The guard is a trained army of 100,000 men, divided into infantry units, mechanised brigades, special units and military police.

Several members of Saudi Arabia's forces have been killed since the country and its Arab allies began bombing Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen since March 26.

On April 11, Houthi rebels killed three Saudi border guards in a mortar attack, the Saudi Defense Ministry said, as a plane loaded with medical aid arrived in the rebel-held Yemeni capital.

Operation Decisive Storm has been carrying out air strikes targeting Houthi militants and militias loyal to deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh since its launch on March 26 in an effort to combat their advance in the embattled country.