Saudi-led coalition says it struck resources sustaining Houthi war effort

The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government said on Tuesday that it carried out a “special military operation” to neutralize vital resources sustaining the Houthi group’s war effort.

The coalition’s joint forces command established that the Houthis “were using civilian facilities and vital resources to support their military activities,” according to a statement by the coalition.

It identified the sites as the central al-Sabaha facility in Sanaa, underground reserve fuel storage sites, fuel tanks and berths used to transport and unload fuel in Al Hudaydah, Sanaa and Dhamar.

The Houthis “were using those resources to directly support their military operations while depriving Yemenis of supplies that should meet their needs,” said the coalition.

It accused the group of using the sites to supply its missile and drone arsenal, which it said threatened Saudi Arabia, airports, ports and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The statement added that support had contributed to attacks against civilians and civilian facilities, as well as preparations for imminent attacks on civilian sites in Saudi Arabia and commercial ships in international waterways.

The operation focused on “neutralizing the Houthi militia’s capabilities” used to threaten Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and maritime routes, it added.

The coalition said its forces maintained “strict compliance with international humanitarian law” and had taken feasible precautions during the operation’s planning and execution to avoid incidental civilian casualties or damage.

It demanded that the Houthis “immediately” halt attacks targeting civilians and civilian facilities, including airports, ports, oil facilities and infrastructure.

There was no comment from the Houthi group.