Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015–present)

Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015–present)
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015) and the Yemeni Crisis
The military situation in Yemen, as of 28 April 2015:   Controlled by Houthis   Controlled by Hadi loyalists   Controlled by al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia (See also a detailed map)
Date 25 March 2015 – present (1 month and 1 week) Operation Decisive Storm 25 March 2015 – 21 April 2015 (3 weeks and 6 days) Operation Restoring Hope 22 April 2015 – present (1 week and 4 days) Location Yemen Result Ongoing Saudi-led coalition claims to have achieved its military goals[1] Saudi failure to destroy the Houthi rebels[2] and halt their advance[3] Saudi failure to restore the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi[4] Saudi-led naval blockade continues for an unspecified period of time[5] Saudi-led coalition announced an end to the airstrike campaign and the beginning of an operation aimed at a political solution,[6] however, air-strikes continue[7]
Belligerents
Gulf Cooperation Council[8][9]  Saudi Arabia[10][11] (leader)  Bahrain[12]  Kuwait[12]  Qatar[12]  UAE[12]  Sudan[12]  Morocco[12]  Egypt (ground troops ruled out)[12][13][14]  Jordan[12] Supported by:  Pakistan (naval blockade only; ground troops ruled out)[15]  Somalia (non-combat)[16]  United States (intelligence, weapons, and blockade)[17]  Israel (alleged; denied by Israel)[18] In support of: Yemen (Hadi government) Yemen Army (pro-Hadi)	Yemen (Revolutionary Committee) Houthi fighters Yemen Army (pro-Saleh & Houthis) Yemeni Republican Guard Yemeni Air Force Air Defence Supported by: Mahdi Army (offered assistance)[19]  Iran (alleged; denied by Iran)[20][21]  Eritrea (alleged; denied by Eritrea)[22] Hezbollah (alleged; denied by Hezbollah)[23]
Commanders and leaders
Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani King Salman Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi	Mohammed Ali al-Houthi Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Ali Abdullah Saleh Ahmed Ali Saleh (son of Ali Abdullah Saleh)[24]
Strength
100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers [25] 30 warplanes[26] 15 warplanes[26] 15 warplanes[26] 10 warplanes[26] 6 warplanes[26] 6 warplanes[26] 4 warplanes and 6,000 troops [27][28] 4 warships[29] and an unknown number of warplanes[30]	100,000 fighters (claim)[31] Unknown number of soldiers
Casualties and losses
14 soldiers killed,[32] 1 F-15S non-combat loss[33] (per Saudi Arabia)	200 killed (per Revolutionary Committee)[34]
At least 311 civilians killed[35] At least 209 people killed in the Sana'a area[36]

Yemeni Crisis Revolution (2011–12) Sa'dah 1st Sana'a Zinjibar Ta'izz Dammaj Transition and AS campaign (2012–13) Dofas Abyan (2012) Sana'a Radda (2013) Sana'a (2013) Houthi rebellion (2014–15) 2nd Sanaa Coup d'état Rescue operations Rada' Ibb Sana'a Police Academy Yemeni Civil War (2015) Aden Airport Sana'a mosques Ad Dali' Saudi-led intervention Aden Abyan Lahij Shabwah Al Mukalla Ta'izz (2015)

Part of a series on the Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
Main topics Yemeni Revolution Yemeni presidential election, 2012 Houthi insurgency in Yemen al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen South Yemen insurgency 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état Aftermath of the 2014–15 coup d'état Yemeni Civil War (2015)
Background History of Yemen Yemeni unification

Saudi Arabia, spearheading a coalition of nine Arab states, began carrying out airstrikes in neighbouring Yemen on 25 March 2015, heralding the start of a military intervention codenamed Operation Decisive Storm^[26] (Arabic: عملية عاصفة الحزم). The intervention began in response to requests for assistance from the internationally recognized but domestically contested Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. The request was due to a Houthi offensive aimed at its provisional capital of Aden. President Hadi fled Aden,^[37] left the country and went to Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia and its allies launched airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.^[38]

Warplanes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation. Somalia has made its airspace, territorial waters, and military bases available for the coalition to use.^[16] The United States has provided intelligence and logistical support, including search-and-rescue for downed coalition pilots,^[17] and accelerated the sale of weapons to coalition states.^[39] Pakistan was also called on by Saudi Arabia to join the coalition, but its parliament voted to maintain neutrality.^[40] Despite this, Pakistan agreed to provide warships to help the coalition enforce an arms embargo against the Houthis.^[15]

300,000 people have been displaced by the fighting as of 28 April.^[41] Many countries, such as China, Pakistan, Somalia,^[42] and India^[43] have evacuated or plan to evacuate foreign citizens.^[44] Many groups have begun to flee Yemen for northern Somalia and Djibouti.^[45] The air-campaign claimed the lives of at least 311 civilians by mid-April.^[35]

On 21 April 2015, Saudi Arabia announced an end to Operation Decisive Storm, saying the intervention's focus would "shift from military operations to the political process"^[46][47][48] The kingdom and its coalition partners said they would be launching political and peace efforts, which they called Operation Restoring Hope (Arabic: عملية إعادة الأمل). However, the coalition did not rule out using force, saying it would respond to threats and prevent Houthi militants from operating within Yemen.^[48] Airstrikes and shelling against Houthi targets continued under Restoring Hope, with one aerial attack destroying the main runway at Sana'a International Airport.^[49][50]

Background

Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, running unopposed for president, won the 2012 Yemeni elections.^[53] The Houthis (or Ansar Allah), a Zaidi Shia movement and militant group thought to be backed by Iran, took control of the Yemeni government through a series of steps in 2014 and 2015, which Saudi Arabia and other countries denounced as an unconstitutional coup d'état.

In military operations on the ground, the Houthis have been supported by sections of the Yemeni armed forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was removed from power as part of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.^[54][55] Houthi leaders have claimed^[56] Saudi Arabia is trying to break the alliance between the Houthis and Saleh’s supporters; there have also been reports^[56] that Saleh’s son had travelled to the Saudi capital to attempt to broker a deal to end the air strikes. Saudi media claim that Saleh or his supporters, namely his son, Ahmed Ali Saleh, have approached Riyadh seeking such a deal.^[57]

By September 2014, Houthi fighters captured Sana'a, toppling Hadi's government. Soon after, a peace deal (known as the Peace and Partnership Agreement) was concluded between the Hadi government and the Houthis, but was not honored by either party. The deal was drafted with the intent of outlining a power-sharing agreement in the new government. A conflict over a draft constitution resulted in the Houthis consolidating control over the Yemeni capital in January 2015. After resigning his post alongside his prime minister and remaining under virtual house arrest for one month, Hadi fled to Aden in southern Yemen in February.^[58][59] Upon arriving in Aden, Hadi withdrew his resignation, saying that the actions of the Houthis from September 2014 had amounted to a "coup" against him.^[60][61][62] By 25 March, forces answering to Sana'a were rapidly closing in on Aden, which Hadi had declared to be Yemen's temporary capital.^[63]

During the Houthis' southern offensive, Saudi Arabia began a military buildup on its border with Yemen.^[64] In response, a Houthi commander boasted that his troops would counterattack against any Saudi aggression and would not stop until they had taken Riyadh, the Saudi capital.^[65]

On 25 March, Hadi called on the UN Security Council to authorise “willing countries that wish to help Yemen to provide immediate support for the legitimate authority by all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter the Houthi aggression.”^[66]

Yemen's foreign minister, Riad Yassin, requested military assistance from the Arab League on 25 March, amid reports that Hadi had fled his provisional capital.^[67][68] On 26 March, Saudi state TV station Al-Ekhbariya TV reported that Hadi arrived at a Riyadh airbase and was met by Saudi Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud. His route from Aden to Riyadh was not immediately known.^[69]

At a summit of the Arab League held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on 28–29 March, President Hadi again repeated his calls for international intervention in the fighting in Yemen. A number of League members pledged their support to Hadi's government in Yemen during that meeting. ^[70][71]

Sunni-Shia divide

Over 42% of Yemenis are followers of the Zaidi school of Shia Islam, with another 1.5% following other Shia schools.^[52] The Zaidi Shia Houthis' strength and influence were amplified after forming an alliance with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who helped enlist important segments of the country's military to fight against pro-Hadi coalition forces.^[72][73]

Operation Decisive Storm

According to the Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia is contributing 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers to the military operation in Yemen. Reuters indicates that planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain are also taking part in the operation.

The UAE contributed 30 fighter jets, Kuwait sent 15 (understood to be three squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet aircraft),^[74] Bahrain sent 15, Qatar 10, Jordan and Morocco six each, and Sudan four.^[26][28][75]

The operation was declared over on 21 April 2015.^[76][77][78]

Air campaign

March 2015

In a joint statement, the member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (with the exception of Oman) said they decided to intervene against the Houthis in Yemen at the request of Hadi's government.^[79]

The Saudi-led coalition declared Yemeni airspace to be a restricted area, with King Salman declaring the RSAF to be in full control of the zone.^[26] Saudi Arabia began airstrikes, reportedly relying on United States intelligence reports and surveillance images to select and hit targets, including weapons and aircraft on the ground.^[80] Al Arabiya said the first round of strikes targeted the military airbase at Sana'a International Airport and destroyed much of Yemen's air defences.^[26] According to Saudi officials, the strikes also destroyed a number of Yemeni warplanes on the ground.^[14] Al Jazeera reported that Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi commander appointed in February as president of the Revolutionary Committee, was injured and three other Houthi commanders were killed by airstrikes in Sana'a.^[81]

According to rescue workers, 13 civilians were killed in a residential neighborhood near Al-Dulaimi Airbase after Saudi airstrikes destroyed seven homes.^[82][83] Houthi-controlled al-Masirah TV quoted the health ministry as declaring the death toll to be 18.^[83]

Saudi strikes on 26 March also hit Al Anad Air Base, a former U.S. special operations forces facility in Lahij Governorate seized by Houthis earlier in the week.^[84] The targets reportedly also included the missile base in Sana'a controlled by the Houthis and the fuel depot at the base.^[12] Strikes overnight also targeted Houthis in Taiz and Sa'dah. Thousands demonstrated in Sana'a against the intervention, which ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh also condemned.^[85]

The scope of strikes expanded further on 27 March, with a radar installation in the Ma'rib Governorate and an airbase in the Abyan Governorate coming under air attack. The commander of the Saudi-led operation dismissed reports of civilian casualties, saying airstrikes were being carried out with precision.^[86]

Additional strikes early in the morning on 28 March hit targets in Al Hudaydah, Sa'dah, and the Sana'a area, as well as Ali Abdullah Saleh's main base. Rumours indicated Saleh fled to Sanhan, on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled capital.^[87] More strikes destroyed part of a Houthi convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, and trucks heading from Shuqrah toward Aden.^[88] An Aden government official said Saudi strikes destroyed a long-range missile facility controlled by the Houthis.^[89]

The Houthis claimed to have shot down a Sudanese Air Force plane over northern Sana'a and captured its pilot on 28 March. The Sudanese government denied that any of its four warplanes participating in the operation had come under fire or been shot down.^[28]

Airstrikes hit an arms depot, military airbase, and special forces headquarters in Sana'a early on 29 March. A weapons depot outside Sana'a was destroyed, causing damage to an airport and planes on the ground. Sa'dah and Al Hudaydah were targeted as well. Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, the coalition's spokesman, said Saudi artillery and Apache attack helicopters were mobilised to "deter" Houthi fighters massing on the border with Saudi Arabia.^[90]

On 30 March, at least 40 people including children were killed and 200 were injured^[91] by an airstrike that hit Al-Mazraq refugee camp near a military installation in northern district of Haradh. Airstrikes also hit areas near the presidential palace in Sana'a,^[92] as well as Aden International Airport.^[93]

During an Arab League summit, coalition states obtained permission from the government of Somalia to use its Berbera and Bosaso military bases to attack the Houthis, as well as the free use of Somali airspace and territorial waters.^[94][95]

At least five airstrikes were conducted in support of Hadi loyalists in the Ad Dali' Governorate on 31 March. Strikes were also reported in the northern Sa'dah and Hajjah governorates, with Saudi helicopters being sent across the border.^[93]

Food storage of Yemen Economic Corporation in Hodeidah was destroyed by three coalition's strikes on March 31, according to the Houthi-controlled defence ministry.^[96]

Airstrikes were not limited to the Yemeni mainland. Missiles struck homes on the island of Perim, according to residents who fled by boat to Djibouti to escape the air campaign.^[97]

April 2015

There were dozens of casualties from an explosion at a dairy and oil factory in Al Hudaydah, which was variously blamed on an airstrike or a rocket from a nearby military base launched shortly after midnight on 1 April. Medical sources reported 25 deaths, while the Yemen Army said 37 were killed and 80 wounded.^[98] Airstrikes also hit targets in Sa'dah on 1 April.^[99]

In Ad Dali', the pro-Houthi 33rd Brigade of the Yemen Army was hit by repeated airstrikes. Its commander reportedly fled and the brigade disintegrated.^[100]

Despite persistent airstrikes, the Houthis and allied units continued to advance on central Aden, backed by tanks and heavy artillery.^[101][102] The Houthis seized the presidential palace on 2 April, but reportedly withdrew after overnight air raids early the next day.^[103] Coalition planes also airdropped weapons and medical aid to pro-Hadi fighters in Aden.^[104]

A family of nine was killed and other civilians wounded by an airstrike on Okash village near Sana'a on 4 April, residents said.^[105]

The International Committee of the Red Cross announced on 5 April that it had received permission from the coalition to fly medical supplies and aid workers into Sana'a and was awaiting permission to send a surgical team by boat to Aden.^[106]

On 6 April, airstrikes began before sunset and struck targets in western Sana'a, Sa'dah, and the Ad Dali' Governorate, a supply route for Houthis in the Battle of Aden.^[107]

Airstrikes on 7 April hit a Republican Guard base in the Ibb Governorate, injuring 25 troops. Yemeni sources claimed three children at a nearby school were also killed by the attack^[108] and six were injured.^[109]

The coalition hit arms depots in northern Aden on 8 April, causing three large explosions, according to residents.^[110]

The Parliament of Pakistan voted against military action on 10 April, despite a request from Saudi Arabia that it join the coalition.^[111]

Airstrikes launched on 12 April, against the base of the 22nd Brigade of the Yemeni Republican Guard in the Taiz Governorate struck both the brigade and a nearby village inhabited by members of the Al-Akhdam minority community, killing eight civilians and injuring more than ten others.^[112] On 17 April, both the GCC coalition's spokesman called by Saudi broadcaster Al-Ehkbariya TV and a commander of the pro-Hadi rebels on the ground in Yemen said air strikes had intensified, focusing on both Sana'a and Taiz, Yemen's third city.^[113] One strike on the Republican Palace in Taiz killed 19 pro-Houthi gunmen.^[114]

A combination of airstrikes and ground fighting in Daleh reportedly killed 17 Houthis and six separatist fighters on 19 April.^[115] Airstrikes targeted a weapons depot in Sana'a on 20 April, but they reportedly missed their mark. A Scud missile base in the Faj Attan district was hit. At least 46 were killed and hundreds more injured in the strikes on the capital, with a Yemeni television presenter among the dead.^[116]

Naval role

Egypt and Saudi Arabia were quick to commit warships to support the coalition's operations.^[117] Somalia also offered the Saudi-led coalition the use of its airspace and territorial waters.^[16]

Four Egyptian Navy vessels crossed the Suez Canal and steamed toward the Gulf of Aden after operations began. They were expected to reach the Red Sea late on 26 March.^[84] Saudi Arabia officially requested access from the Somali Government to use its airspace and waters to carry out operations against the Houthi rebels.^[118] On 27 March, the Egyptian military said a squadron of Egyptian and Saudi warships took up positions at the Bab al-Mandab strait.^[86] The Saudi military threatened to destroy any ship attempting to make port in Yemen.^[119]

Two Saudi F-15S pilots were rescued by a United States Air Force Pararescue unit from Camp Lemonnier on 27 March, after a mechanical issue forced them to bail out in the Gulf of Aden just south of Yemen.^[120]

The Royal Saudi Navy evacuated diplomats and United Nations staff from Aden to Jeddah on 28 March.^[88]

Witnesses told Reuters that Egyptian warships bombarded Houthi positions as they attempted to advance on Aden on 30 March.^[121] Warships again fired on Houthi positions at Aden International Airport on or about 1 April.^[99]

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the foreign minister of Djibouti, said the Houthis placed heavy weapons and fast attack boats on Perim and a smaller island in the Bab al-Mandab strait. He warned that "the prospect of a war in the strait of Bab al-Mandab is a real one" and said the weapons posed "a big danger" to his country, commercial shipping traffic, and military vessels. He called on the coalition to clear the islands of the Houthi weaponry, which he said included missiles and long-range cannons.^[122]

On 4 April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called protecting Red Sea shipping and securing the Bab al-Mandab "a top priority for Egypt's national security".^[123]

On 15 April, the spokesman for the coalition, Saudi Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Asiri, said in comments carried on Al-Ekhbariya TV and reported by the Saudi state news agency, SPA, that the coalition’s warships were focussing on protecting shipping routes and screening ships heading to port in Yemen for shipments of provisions intended for the Houthis.^[124]

The United States Navy has provided support to the naval blockade, halting and searching vessels suspected of carrying Iranian arms to the Houthis.^[125] Pakistan said it would dispatch warships to enforce the arms embargo as well.^[15]

On 21 April, the United States announced it was deploying warships to Yemeni waters to monitor Iranian ships.^[126] The US in particular noted a convoy of Iranian vessels, which US authorities said could potentially be carrying weapons to Houthi fighters in contravention of UN sanctions.^[127] The US reported that the Iranian convoy had reversed course on 23 April.^[128]

Ground clashes

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have stated their readiness to participate in a ground campaign in Yemen.^[129] Sudan has also said it is stationing ground troops in Saudi Arabia to contribute to the intervention.^[130]

On 31 March, Saudi and Houthi forces reportedly traded artillery and rocket fire across the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.^[93][131] A Saudi border guard was killed on 2 April, the first confirmed coalition casualty of the campaign.^[132] A civilian Egyptian truck driver reportedly suffered critical injuries from Houthi artillery shelling at the border on the same day. He later died in a Yemeni hospital under the control of the Houthis.^[133]

Saudi Arabia reportedly began removing sections of the Saudi–Yemen barrier fence along its border with the Sa'dah and Hajjah governorates of Yemen on 3 April. The purpose of the removal was not immediately clear.^[134]

Two more Saudi border guards were killed on 3 April in the 'Asir Region, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.^[135]

On 12 April, members of the Takhya tribe launched an attack on a Saudi military base after several of its members died in an airstrike. Exact number of Saudi casualties cannot be confirmed but large amounts of weapons and ammunition were taken.^{[136][137][138][139]}

On 19 April, as Houthi leader Abdul-Malek El-Houthi accused Saudi Arabia of planning an invasion of Yemen,^[140] Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, the spokesman for the coalition, claimed that coalition forces had information regarding a planned Houthi incursion into Saudi Arabia and were working to prevent it.^[141] On the same day, a Yemeni military commander in control of some 15,000 troops pledged his support for Hadi. His troops control an area spanning about half of the border with Saudi Arabia.^[140] It was the second time in a week news had emerged of Yemeni troops defecting to Hadi's side, after five brigades switched their allegiances on 15 April.^[142]

A Saudi border guard died on 19 April and two others were injured from gunfire and mortar shelling across the border, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.^[143]

On April 30, the Saudi Press Agency announced one Saudi border guard had been killed by mortar fire along the border with Yemen.^[144] This death brought the total number of Saudi deaths reported by the Kingdom to 11. Later in the day, apparent Houthi forces attacked a Saudi military post in Najran killing 3 soldiers, increasing the death toll to 14.^[145]

Operation Restoring Hope

On 21 April, the Saudi Defence Ministry declared it was ending the campaign of air strikes because it had "successfully eliminated the threat" to its security posed by Houthi ballistic and heavy weaponry.^[146] It announced the start of a new phase codenamed Operation Restoring Hope.^[147] In a televised address, Hadi said the end of air strikes had come at his request, thanking the Arab coalition for their support.^[148]

However, earlier on the same day King Salman ordered the Saudi National Guard to join military operations in Yemen.^[149] Air and naval strikes continued despite the announcement that Decisive Storm had ended.

After weeks of boiling tension with Saudi Arabia over the military campaign, Iran welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a "step forward" for the war-torn country and urging further talks. There was no immediate response from the Houthis themselves.

Airstrikes

On the announcement of Operation Restoring Hope, the coalition's leadership stressed that their campaign had instead entered a political phase in Yemen, but did not rule out the possibility of resuming airstrikes against the Houthis if necessary. During the new phase, the coalition said it would not lift air and naval restrictions.^[150] Aid groups have said scores of civilians have been left intermittently trapped and shut out of receiving outside aid because of those restrictions.

However, airstrikes resumed almost immediately following the coalition's announcement of the end of Operation Decisive Storm.^[151]

On 22 April, despite the announcements of the previous day, airstrikes against Houthi targets continued in Taiz, where an army base was hit shortly after Houthi fighters took it over,^[152] and Aden, where an airstrike targeted Houthi tanks being moved into a previously contested district,^[153] among other locations, such as Al Hudaydah and Ibb.^[154] The Houthis continued to fight for territory in Yemen,^[152] with a Houthi spokesman saying the group would be prepared for peace talks on the condition of "a complete halt of attacks".^[155]

By 26 April, coalition forces were striking what they described as Houthi military targets in Sanaa and Aden, as well as in other locations, notably in Saada province near the border with Saudi Arabia, nearly every night.^[156][157] On 26 April, after midnight, airstrikes struck Houthi and pro-Saleh positions and targets in and around Sana'a, Aden, and the Ma'rib and Ad Dali' governorates, backing up anti-Houthi fighters in the latter three locations, with more than 90 rebels reportedly killed.^[158] Coalition warships shelled fighters near Aden's commercial port. Saudi warplanes also targeted Houthis in the Sa'dah Governorate, while Saudi artillery fired on targets in the Hajjah Governorate along the border.^[159] The Saudi Arabian National Guard was also deployed on the border with Yemen.^[160]

The main runway at Sana'a International Airport was effectively destroyed by airstrikes, along with at least one commercial airplane on the ground, on 28 April.^[161] Saudi Arabia said it destroyed the runway to prevent an Iranian plane from landing there.^[162] The strikes were reportedly made to thwart the landing of an Iranian Red Crescent plane by Saudi F-15 fighters, which unsuccessfully intercepted and issued warnings to the plane to turn back.^[163]

Overnight on 29 April and 30 April, Saudi Arabia was reported to have airdropped arms to anti-Houthi fighters in Taiz.^[164]

On 30 April, air strikes hit five provinces.^[164] Furthemore new airstrikes hit Sanaa International Airport, completely halting aid deliveries.^[145]

Ground troop involvement

On 26 April, the Saudi government announced via its official news agency that the first National Guard units had arrived in Najran, in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.^[165]

On 26 April, Al-Hamdan tribe ambushed Saudi positions in Najran and reported several Saudi casualties with the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry confirming 1 dead and 2 injured. Al-Hamdan tribesmen later retreated due to heavy bombings in the area.^[166][167]

On 30 April, Saudi sources reported that 3 Saudi soldiers were killed after the rebels launched a cross-border attack on Najran Region.^[168] Reuters quoted sources saying that Saudi Arabia had begun training armed tribesmen to fight the Houthis.^[164]

Naval involvement

Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners are maintaining a sea blockade in Yemen's territorial waters.

A "military source and pro-Hadi militiamen" told the AFP on 26 April that coalition warships were participating in the shelling of the port city of Aden^[169]

On 30 April, the Iranian navy announced it had deployed two destroyers to the Gulf of Aden to "ensure the safety of commercial ships of our country against the threat of pirates", according to a rear admiral speaking to Iranian state news.^[170] According to the same source, the deployment was scheduled to last until mid-June.

Other efforts

Both the Omani^[171] and Iranian^[148][172] governments said they welcomed the end of air strikes. On 22 April, Oman presented a seven-point peace deal to both parties. The proposed peace treaty entailed the reinstatement of Hadi's government and the evacuation of Houthi fighters from major cities.^[171]

Alleged Iranian involvement

Hadi government, Saudi Arabia, most GCC States and the United States accused Iran of militarily and financially supporting the Houthis.^[173][174] Officials from Tehran condemned the Saudi-led military campaign, even calling it a genocide, but refrained from military action.^[175][176] On 9 April, U.S. secretary of state John Kerry warned Iran to stop its alleged support of the Houthis.^[177]

On 8 April, Iranian Press TV announced the deployment of two Islamic Republic of Iran Navy warships, a destroyer and a support vessel, to the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations.^[110][178]

Anti-Houthi fighters defending Aden said they captured two officers in the Iranian Quds Force on 11 April, who had purportedly been serving as military "advisors" to the Houthi militias in the city. They said the prisoners would be turned over to the coalition.^[179] Iran has denied presence of any Iranian military force in Yemen.^[180]

According to Michael Horton, an expert on Yemeni affairs, the notion that the Houthis are an Iranian proxy is "nonsense".^[181]

Special forces

CNN reported on 3 April, citing an unnamed Saudi source, that Saudi special forces were on the ground in and around Aden, "coordinating and guiding" the resistance in the city to the Houthis.^[182] The Saudi government has officially declined to comment on whether it has special forces operating in Yemen, with Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir saying on 2 April that Saudi Arabia has no "formal" troops in Aden.^[134]

Casualties and infrastructure damage

• On March 26, Interior Ministry officials linked to Ansar Allah documented that 23 civilians had been killed and 24 wounded. Among the dead were 5 children, ages 2 to 13, 6 women, and an elderly man, they said. The wounded included 12 children, ages 3 to 8, and 2 women due to airstrike against Sana'a particularly in Bani Hawat, a predominantly Houthi neighborhood near Sanaa’s international and military airports, and al-Nasr, near the presidential palace. Human Rights Watch documented the deaths of 11 civilians, including 2 women and 2 children, other than those provided by the Yemeni officials as well as 14 more wounded, including 3 children and 1 woman. According to Amnesty International, that bombing destroyed at least 14 homes in Bani Hawat.^[183]

• On March 27, Saudi airstrikes hit the al-Kitaf market next to the al-Kitaf Military Base killing 20 people including 3 children and injuring 16.

• On March 31, a statement from Geneva said the UN human rights staffers in Yemen verified when airstrikes hit a refugee camp near the Houthi stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen, at least 19 civilians died. Also it reports at least 35 wounded, including 11 children. According to the U.N. human rights office in Geneva, in the past five days from the first day of military intervention, at least 93 civilians have been killed including 62 children and 364 wounded of which 30 were children^[184] in five Yemeni cities engulfed in the violence, including, Sanaa. The overall figures are probably much higher and it was not immediately clear if the casualties cited by Geneva referred to just airstrikes or the strikes and fighting between Yemen's warring factions.^[185]

• On March 31, Saudi-led coalition forces raided the Ibb governorate on Tuesday, leaving at least 11 civilians dead and 32 injured, 3 Houthis rebels were killed.^[186] At least 10 civilians were killed and 13 injured in Saudi-led aerial strikes Monday evening on the National Cement Company (NCC) located in Wadi Saan area.^[187] Explosion at a dairy factory in Hodeida governorate early Wednesday that killed 29 civilian employees and injured 25.^[188] The same day, OCHA released an escalated conflict situation report that stated that, according to the WHO, 361 have been killed and over 1,345 have been injured - most of whom are civilians. The report states that 13 of Yemen's 22 Governorates were affected and highlighted infrastructure effect that detailed the coalitions bombing of an IDP camp that killed 29 and injured 40. Estimated fuel shortage in the south threatens water access to citizens and in Lahj, electricity and water services have not been functioning for several days.^[189] Later that day, Amnesty International reported that at least six civilians including four children were burned to death as a result of the airstrike during the morning. It also reported that two fuel stations were destroyed. In al-Kadima area in al-Kita, several passengers were killed in a car which had stopped to refuel, and a petrol station worker was injured. The third strike, apparently aimed at a passing fuel tanker, set fire to at least three civilian homes within a cluster of around 30-40 homes. Amnesty International then stated that "it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition is turning a blind eye to civilian deaths and suffering caused by its military intervention."^[190]

• On April 3, an Egyptian truck driver was killed by Houthi shelling at the Yemeni-Saudi border.^[191] Also, an airstrike killed a family of nine in a village near the capital, Sanaa. The family consisted of two men, a woman and six children.^[192]

• On April 7, a Saudi Airstrike hit a school near a military base in Maitam, killing 3 students and injuring over half a dozen. The exact number of casualties could not be confirmed.^[193][194] The same day, an airstrike killed 3 women and 3 children in the village of Beit Rejal west of Sanaa.^[195]

• The UN released a report stating that as of the start of the Saudi Operation over 293 people have been killed, including 74 children.^[196]

• On April 12, an airstrike that hit a Yemeni Camp in the city of Taiz killed eight civilians.^[197]

• On April 13, HRW reported the Saudi-led air campaign had killed 311 civilians since it started.^[35]

• On April 17, a Saudi airstrike hit a home in Yarim, south of Sanaa, killing 8 residents of the same family.^[198] The same day, OCHA released it's report that stated the increasing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, airstrikes hitting in Saada City a water tank, the electricity station, a petrol station, a plastics processing factory, a shopping centre, and a housing complex for doctors working for Al Rahmah Hospital. Several days earlier, airstrikes had hit private homes, the post office, a community centre, Government offices, markets and vehicles. Local partners estimated about 50 dead within the past week. In Sanaa residential neighborhoods near Assir, Ayban, and Faj Attan were affected due to close military camps. In Amran, airstrikes over the last several days hit a petrol station, an educational institute, and a bridge. According to local reports, a local water corporation in Hajjah (Abbs District) was hit. The report also states that civilian casualties are severely underreported as families who don't have access to hospitals bury their members with them.^[199]

• On April 18, an air strike in Saada hit an Oxfam warehouse, damaging much needed humanitarian supplies and killing at least one civilian. Aid groups widely condemned the strike.^[200][201]

• On April 20, coalition airstrikes hit the Fajj Atan military base, causing a large explosion that killed 38 civilians and injured over 500. The airstrike also targeted the office of Yemen Today, a TV network owned by Ali Abdullah Saleh, killing three and injuring other workers. An eye witness reported that emergency rooms were overwhelmed with victims, who screamed in pain from wounds sustained by the flying debris of their homes.^[202][203] Head of the ICRC in Yemen later clarified that 90 people had died during this attack.^[204]

• On April 21, coalition airstrike hit a bridge and oil facility in the Al Makhadir District of the Ibb Governorate, reportedly killing 20 civilians.^[205] Also, a Saudi airstrike hit the city of Haradh, killing 9 people.^[206][207] In addition, minutes before the announcement regarding the end of Operation Decisive storm, airstrikes hit the Aldaleel area north of Ibb, killing 20 civilians.^[208] BBC reported a warning from the UN Agency about worsening health services in Yemen and a dire need for life-saving medicines.^[209]

• On April 24, UNCIEF released a report stating that since the start of the military intervention, 115 children have been killed with at least 64 from aerial bombardment.^[210]

• According to the OCHA's fifth report released on April 26, humanitarian operations in Yemen will come to a complete halt within two weeks and hospitals in both Sanaa and Aden will close completely due to the severe lack of fuel. The lack of fuel has also affected water supplies in various areas. Markets in affected governorates are not able to provide the necessary food supplies with wheat grain and flour prices rising by 42% and 44%. The healthcare system in Yemen is facing an imminent collapse with hospitals struggling to operate due to lack of medicines and vital supplies. Essential medicine prices have increased by 300%. Casualties from March 19 to April 22, for the entire conflict, were at 1,080 (28 children and 48 women) and 4,352 wounded (80 children and 143 women). According to the WFP, 12 million people are currently food insecure, a 13% rise since the start of the campaign.^[211]

• On April 26, an airstrike hit the Al-Thawra hospital, killing 19 people and injuring 91.^[212]

• On April 27, a Saudi airstrike targeted a building in Aden killing 2 civilians and wounding 2 others.^[213] Also on April 25, aid group Doctors Without Borders said that the town of Haradh "has been left a ghost town" and that Saudi shellings killed 11 and injured more than 70.^[214]

• On April 28, a Saudi airstrike hit two buses transporting Somali residents between Al-Qaras and Basatir. Casualties included around 40 individuals, with several women and children injured.^[215]

• On April 28, OCHA's update reported that in the previous 24 hours, airstrikes hit a military brigade in Bajel District, killing 30 people as well as Az Zaydaiah Districts in the Al Hudaydah Governorate . A vocational institute in Jihana District, and a military camp in Khwlan District in Sana'a Governorate, were also hit. In Aden, airstrikes hit the Ministry of Finance, damaging nearby residential buildings and killing an unknown number of civilians. A humanitarian worker lost three members of her family while four others were injured and hospitalised.^[216]

• On April 29, OCHA's Flash Update 21 reported that airstrikes hit Sanaa International Airport on April 28, damaging the runway and hampering aid deliveries. Airstrikes were also reported at Al Hudayda Airport and Saada. Widespread internet and phone disruptions have been reported in several governorates due to the lack of fuel and electricity. On 25 April, the Yemen Public Telecommunications Corporation warned that unless he fuel crisis is resolved, telecommunication services (mobile phones, internet, and land lines) will shut down within a week. The disruption in communication is effecting information flow on humanitarian needs and operations as escalation of conflict continues. On 29 April, Haradh was heavily bombarded since 6.30 am, including areas near the main hospital. In the last 10 days, at least 15 people have been killed and 80 injured. Food distribution and aid will stop witin a week if additional fuel cannot be obtained. As of April 29, the Al Hudaydah Governorate has run out of fuel and aid operations cannot be completed.^[217]

• On May 1, coaltion airstrikes hit a residential district in Yemen killing 8 - 10 civilians. Saba news agency reported 20 civilian deaths.^[218]

Responses

Reactions in Yemen

Opposition

Following the call by the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, tens of thousands Yemenis of various socioeconomic backgrounds took to the streets of the capital, Sana'a, to voice their anger at the Saudi intervention.^[219][220] In a televised address, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi heaped scorn on Saudi Arabia for their “unjustified attack on Yemenis people.” He stressed that the attacks uncovered the “tyrannical nature” of Saudi regime. “This unjustified aggression shows the hostility and arrogance of this regime. The attacks are reflecting the inhumanity of the aggressor.”^[221]

On April 21, representatives of 19 Yemeni political parties and associations rejected the UN Resolution 2216, stating that it encourages terrorist expansion, intervenes in Yemen's sovereign affairs, violates the right of self-defence by the Yemeni people and emphasized the associations' support of the Yemeni Army.^[222][223]

On 23 April, a spokesman for the Houthis said UN-sponsored peace talks should continue, but only following "a complete halt of attacks" by the Saudi-led coalition.^[224]

In a televised address on 24 April, Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president whose supporters had been fighting alongside the Houthis, called on the Houthis and other armed groups in Yemen to withdraw from the territory they had seized and participate in UN-sponsored peace talks, in exchange for an end to the Saudi-led air campaign.^[225] Exiled Yemeni Foreign Minister rejected the peace proposal saying that Ali Abdullah Saleh has no place in the talks.^[226]

On April 26, the General Authority for Archeology and Museums in Yemen condemned attacks targeting historical sites in Yemen. The statement highlighted an attack that completey destroyed an ancient fortress in the Damt District of the Ad Dali' Governorate^[227]

On April 26, several Yemeni political parties issued a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon requesting that he continue the peace talks. The letter emphasized that Yemen is still under attack by air, land and sea and that the existing blockade is increasing the humanitarian crisis and that education has been denied for 3 millions students due to the "random attacks".^[228]

In an official statement, Houthi leader announced a meeting with the Yemeni Revolution Committee and the head of the Higher Committee for elections and several representatives of the organisation in an effort to organize an early presidential elections.^[229]

On April 27, thousands of people took to the streets in Sanaa for a protest organized by the Revolutionary Committee denouncing the attacks by the coalition.^[230][231]

On May 1st, thousands of people took to the streets once again in Sanaa to protest the Saudi military attacks and intervention.^[232]

Support

Anti-Houthi groups, especially Sunnis in the south and north of the country, while supporting the intervention do not wish for the return to power of Hadi, since they view him as the man "who ceded control of the capital without a fight six months ago" to the Houthis.^[233]

On 3 April, the Al-Islah party, the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, declared its support for the Saudi-led campaign.^[234] Supporters of the party have reportedly suffered consequences, including kidnappings and raids, from supporters of the Houthis and of Saleh, as a result of this declaration.^[235][236]

On 26 April, the foreign minister in Hadi's government, Riad Yaseen, rejected Ali Abdullah Saleh's calls for UN-sponsored peace talks on the grounds that Saudi-led airstrikes against the Houthi rebels against his government were ongoing.^[237]

On 30 April, a spokesman for Hadi's government announced they would be seeking membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council.^[238]

Reactions in Saudi Arabia

Opposition

On the 5th of April, a firefight broke out between anti-government Shiite rioters and security forces in Saudi Arabia's Shiite-majority Eastern Province, which resulted in the death of one Saudi police officer and injured three others.^[239] The firefight broke out after calls in the Eastern Province to protest against Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen.^[240]

On 29 April, Salman of Saudi Arabia dismissed his appointed crown prince, Muqrin of Saudi Arabia. Some regional political analysts have speculated that the decision was precipitated by Muqrin's alleged opposition to the intervention. Salman appointed Muhammad bin Nayef, who has publicly announced his support of the operation, to replace Muqrin as crown prince.^[241][242]

Support

On the 21st of April, Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal reportedly offered 100 Bentleys to the Saudi air force pilots who participated in the war on Yemen. The announcement was met with substantial criticism on social media.^[243]

Reactions in other coalition countries

Bahrain

On the 3rd of April, a number of Bahrainis protested against the Saudi-led war on Yemen.^[244][245] A prominent Bahraini opposition politician, Fadhel Abbas, was reportedly arrested by Bahraini authorities for condemning the bombing of Yemen as “flagrant aggression”.^[246]

Egypt

Supporters of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood held demonstrations against Egypt's military intervention in Yemen.^[247]

Kuwait

A Shiite member of parliament, Abdul Hamid Dashti, reportedly criticized the Saudi-led war on Yemen and described it as an "act of aggression".^[248] A prominent Shiite lawyer, Khalid Al Shatti, was summoned by the Kuwaiti authorities for his criticism of the Saudi government's decision to intervene in Yemeni affairs.^[249][250]

On April 28, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah stated that the only solution to the Yemen crisis was political.^[251]

International reactions

The Arab League and United States voiced support for the intervention,^{[252][253][254]} but the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations criticised it.^{[255][256][257]}

Asian countries like China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan, moved within days to evacuate their citizens from Yemen.^{[258][259][260][261]} The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy evacuated citizens from 10 different countries (for example, Poland), as well as its own nationals, from Aden by frigate on 2 April.^[262] Indian Armed Forces carried out a massive rescue operation codenamed Operation Raahat evacuated more than 5,600 people (in just nine days) of which 4,640 were Indians & 960 were foreign nationals of 41 countries.^[263][264] The Federal Government of Somalia also announced that it would evacuate its remaining citizens by vessel.^[42]

On 4 April, the ICRC called for a 24-hour ceasefire to deliver aid and supplies after the Saudi-led coalition blocked three aid shipments to Yemen.^[265][266] Russia also called for "humanitarian pauses" in the coalition bombing campaign, bringing the idea before the United Nations Security Council in a 4 April emergency meeting.^[267] However, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United Nations has raised questions over whether humanitarian pauses are the best way of delivering humanitarian assistance.^[268]

On 7 April, China renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Yemen^[269]

On 10 April, Julien Harneis UNICEF Yemen representative said to the CNN, "The humanitarian situation is worsening all the time, with increasingly limited access to water, basic sanitation and critical health services,". As a result UNICEF has sent antibiotics, bandages, syringes, IV sets and other medical supplies, to reach Yemen's capital Sana'a in an effort to improve hygienic conditions and to aid the civilian casualties.^[270]

On 10 April, the Pakistani Parliament declined a Saudi Arabian request to join the coalition. The Parliament clarified the wish to maintain a neutral diplomatic stance.^[271]

On 10 April, Human Rights Watch expressed concern that Saudi airstrikes violated the rules of war and urged the US and Saudi Arabia to minimize civilian casualties. The organization sent letters to the US and Saudi Arabia and reports that over 311 civilians killed and there was no legal reason for such a high toll.^[272] On Monday April 13, the UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated that it can confirm the death of 37 civilians including 10 children, in bombings the week before and that airstrikes had hit three hospitals in that period. And also stated that in the last 24 hours, eight Yemeni cities were hit with airstrikes, including the capital, Sanaa.

On 14 April, the Security Council adopted a resolution placing an arms embargo on three top Houthi leaders, including Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, as well as former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son, Ahmed Ali Saleh.^[273][274] The embargo also covers their supporters, and calls on the Houthis to retreat and lay down arms. Other provisions in the resolution include appointing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to "facilitate" the provision of aid, including negotiating humanitarian pauses in the conflict. It also calls on all involved parties to participate in peace talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The resolution was sponsored by Jordan, which holds a rotating seat at the Security Council, and the Gulf States.

On 16 April, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, resigned, citing his failure to negotiate an end to the conflicts in Yemen.^[275] Benomar brokered the post-Arab Spring transition period in which saw current president Hadi take over from Ali Abdullah Saleh. Following the resignation, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate ceasefire in Yemen to facilitate the delivery of aid.^[276]

On April 16, a group of Yemen scholars based in the United States and the United Kingdom wrote an open letter, stating that the operation is illegal under international law and called for the UN to enforce an immediate ceasefire.^[277]

On 17 April, Iran submitted a four-point peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict to the United Nations. The proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire and end of all foreign military attacks, humanitarian assistance, a resumption of broad national dialogue and "establishment of an inclusive national unity government.^[278] Exiled Yemeni officials later rejected the deal, calling it a political manouvere.^[279] Russia confirmed it's backing of the proposal and that it would use it's full capacity to further the plan.^[280]

The UN on 17 April called for 274 million US dollars in humanitarian aid for Yemen, to meet the needs of 7.5 million people over three months. The same day, Saudi Arabia pledged to fund the entire appeal.^[281] However, the UN agency responsible has opted to keep the appeal open, stating that it "urged other donors to provide more support to meet increasing needs across the country."^[282]

On April 18, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese president Xi Jinping had called Salman of Saudi Arabia and urged him to increase efforts to find a political solution to end the crisis in Yemen.^[283]

On April 19, international aid agency Oxfam condemned Saudi Arabia over airstrikes it said hit one of its warehouses containing humanitarian supplies in the Houthi northern stronghold of Saada.^[284]

On April 21, Iranian Foreign Minister announced that he was hopeful that a ceasefire would be under effect later in the day.^[285] Later on Tuesday, Saudi foreign ministry announced the end of Operation Decisive Storm, claiming it had achieved it's purpose and the start of Operation Restoring Hope which hopes to "protect civilians and fight terrorism".^[286]

Mauritanian diplomate Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was nominated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to replace former UN Envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar, who resigned on 16 April.^[287] His nomination was confirmed on 25 April.^[288]

On 24 April, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced it would hold an extraordinary meeting of its foreign ministers to discuss the situation in Yemen.^[289]

A number of aid groups have come out against the air campaign: Amnesty International said some of the coalition's air strikes "appear to have failed to take necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects".^[290] Reporters without Borders condemned a strike in Sanaa on 20 April that caused the deaths of four employees of Al-Yemen Al-Youm TV and injured ten others; it also condemned attacks on journalists by pro-Houthi forces.^[291]

On April 24, thousands of Nigerians took to the street of Kano following the Friday prayers to denounce the Saudi attacks in Yemen.^[292]

On April 25, professor Sami Ramadani of London Metropolitan University claimed Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi is violating the Constitution of Yemen. According to the constitution, any leader, president or commander that requests military foreign intervention in Yemen is to be tried for treason.^[293] However, under article 35 of the Yemeni constitution, "No organization, individual, group, political party or organization may establish forces or paramilitary groups for whatever purpose or under any name".^[294] Additionally, under article 68, "no other [non-state-established] armed force may enter the House premises or take positions near its entrances except at the request of the Speaker."

On April 27, Former UN Envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar stated in a press conference that Yemeni political parties were close to agreeing on a final peace deal before the air strikes led by Saudi Arabia started.^[295]

On April 29, peace activist group "Womens Power to Stop War" demanded an end to the conflict and send letters to over 10 embassies and representatives denouncing the conflict following a plea by Yemeni activist Amal Basha.^[296]

By the end of April, the US government was seen to be gradually pressuring Saudi Arabia to end the air strikes in Yemen,^[297] with National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice saying: “There is no military solution to the crisis in Yemen, and the humanitarian situation will only worsen if the conflict continues.”^[298] Also on 29 April, US Sate Department spokesperson Marie Harf said the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini had discussed the situation in Yemen, with particular emphasis on pushing forward political negotiations to end the conflict.^[299]

On April 30, the ICRC and the UN World Food Program said aid delivery had become difficult to impossible, with the World Food Program suspending operations in Yemen, partially due to ongoing fighting between all sides and partially due to air transport restrictions and the destruction of Sanaa airport.^[300]

On May 1st, the UNSC held an emergency meeting called by Russia to discuss the crisis in Yemen. The council did not agree on a Russian-drafted statement demanding an immediate ceasefire in what the Russian delegate called "amazing indecision" ^[301]

Other effects

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Operation Decisive Storm.

Gulf Air, the Bahraini flag carrier airline, announced the immediate suspension of service to Sana'a International Airport, amid the worsening crisis.^[302] Somali airlines such as Daallo Airlines and Jubba Airways also encountered difficulties, as they were unable to fly over Yemen due to its airspace becoming a restricted area.^[303] On 15 April, Turkish Airlines announced it was suspending all flights to Yemen until 1 June "due to the ongoing political unrest in the country".^[304]

Following Hadi's request, the administration of the Egypt-based Nilesat and Saudi-based Arabsat, two satellite communication companies, stopped broadcasting the Yemeni state-run channels, which had fallen under Houthi control. The channels include Al-Yemen, Al-Eman, Saba and Aden TV. On the other hand, armed Houthis closed down the Sana’a offices of four media outlets, including Al-Jazeera, Yemen Shabab, and Suhail channels, as well as Al-Masdar’s newspaper and website. Al-Saeeda channel was also stormed, but has been allowed to remain open on condition it does not publish anything deemed anti-Houthi propaganda. Houthi Political Office member Mohammad Al-Bukhaiti said the channels were closed for being anti-Houthi and supporting the Saudi-led coalition in its bombing campaign.^[305]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula exploited the chaos in Yemen to capture the south-eastern port city of Al Mukalla in early April.^[306]

King Salman shook up his cabinet in late April, replacing his half-brother Muqrin as crown prince with Muhammad bin Nayef and naming two prominent faces of the military campaign to prominent positions: his son Mohammed bin Salman as defence minister, and Ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir as foreign minister. Some reports linked the cabinet reshuffle to the war in Yemen.^[307][308] At least one political analyst suggested Muqrin was not supportive of the military intervention, and that was why he was removed as crown prince.^[309] Prince Muqrin’s Yemeni Lineage has also been pointed out as one of the cause of Portfolio change.^[310]

References

Arab Spring "Ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam" Events by country Algeria Bahrain Djibouti Egypt Iraq Iranian Khuzestan Israeli borders Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mauritania Morocco Oman Palestine Saudi Arabia Sudan Syria Tunisia Western Sahara Yemen Groups Bahrain: Al Wefaq February 14 Youth Coalition Egypt: April 6 Youth Movement Kefaya Muslim Brotherhood (FJP) National Association for Change National Democratic Party National Salvation Front Revolutionary Socialists Shayfeencom Tamarod The Third Square Ultras Ahlawy Libya: National Liberation Army National Transitional Council Mauritania: February 25th Movement Saudi Arabia: Women to drive movement CDHRAP Society for Development and Change Syria: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Regional Command National Command National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Free Syrian Army Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian National Council National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Hizb ut-Tahrir Foreign fighters Tunisia: Constitutional Democratic Rally Ennahda Movement Popular Front Tunisian General Labour Union Yemen: Alliance of Yemeni Tribes Al-Islah Hashid Houthis General People's Congress Hiraak Notable people Women in the Arab Spring Algeria: Abdelaziz Bouteflika Ahmed Ouyahia Bahrain: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Hasan Mushaima Ali Salman Ali Jawad al-Sheikh Egypt: Hosni Mubarak Omar Suleiman Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Ahmed Nazif Ahmed Shafik Wael Ghonim Kamal Ganzouri Khaled Mohamed Saeed Gihan Ibrahim Essam Sharaf Mohamed ElBaradei Mohamed Morsi Hesham Qandil Bassem Youssef Adly Mansour Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Jordan: King Abdullah II Marouf al-Bakhit Samir Rifai Libya: Muammar Gaddafi Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Mustafa Abdul Jalil Mahmoud Jibril Mohammed Nabbous Mauritania: Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf Morocco: Mohammed VI Abbas El Fassi Saudi Arabia: Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Khaled al-Johani Manal al-Sharif Sudan: Omar al-Bashir Hassan al-Turabi Syria: Bashar al-Assad Muhammad Naji al-Otari Adel Safar Riyad Farid Hijab Wael Nader al-Halqi Maher al-Assad Burhan Ghalioun Moaz al-Khatib Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Mohamed Ghannouchi Moncef Marzouki Fouad Mebazaa Beji Caid Essebsi Hamadi Jebali Mohamed Bouazizi Chokri Belaid United Arab Emirates: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Five Yemen: Ali Abdullah Saleh Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi Tawakkol Karman Abdul Majeed al-Zindani Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar Sadiq al-Ahmar Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Mohammed Ali al-Houthi Impact Arab Winter Occupy movement Albania Armenia Azerbaijan 2011 2013 Belarus Burkina Faso China Greece India 2011 2012 Iran Iraqi Kurdistan Israel Maldives Mali Mexico 2011 2012 Portugal Russia Spain Turkey 2011–12 2013 United Kingdom United States UN Resolutions 65/265 1970 1973 2009 2014 2016 International reactions Bahrain Egypt Libya civil war military intervention death of Muammar Gaddafi Syria Tunisia Yemen Domestic reactions Egypt Libya domestic responses state's response Syria Timelines by country Bahrain Egypt Libya Saudi Arabia Syria Yemen Category ] Commons Wikiquotes