Arab Coalition has succeeded in restoring and liberating over 85 per cent of Yemeni territories, while adhering to international rules of engagement, protecting civilians and supporting their legitimate government in resisting the aggressors, said a senior Saudi minister.

 

Saudi Minister of Media Dr Awwad bin Saleh Al Awwad was speaking at a special meeting attended by Ministers of Media of the Member States of the Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen to discuss ways of aligning media efforts and providing support for the Coalition countries.

 

Dr Al Awwad said that the meeting comes in continuation of the concerted efforts made by the countries of the Coalition for Supporting the Legitimacy in Yemen that had been formed in response to an invitation from President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi in March 2015 to restore legitimacy to Yemen and confront the attacks of Iran-backed Houthi, their takeover of power and threat to the security of the borders of the Kingdom and the stability of the region, through serving Iran's expansionist agenda and disrespecting the right of the Yemeni people to choose the legitimate government that represents them.

 

"Houthi militias are one of the tools of Iran to threaten the stability of the region and their ambitions have not stopped at attacking Yemenis and seizing their lands, but they exceeded that to threaten the security of the Saudi Arabia by launching more than 152 ballistic missiles into the kingdom," he stated.

 

"These missiles were intercepted courageously by Saudi air defence forces who prevented them from reaching their targets which have not excluded Makkah, an attitude which reflects the indifference of these Iranian-backed militias to the sanctity of Islamic holy sites; and therefore, it has been necessary for the Coalition to confront these coup militias and cut off Iran's arms in the region and restore legitimacy to Yemen," he added.

 

Al Awwad pointed out that the coalition had also achieved remarkable victories on various fronts, notably Saada front, the main stronghold of Houthi coup militias and Nahm front, east of the capital Sana'a, where the Coalition has achieved qualitative progress, where a number of strategic sites were liberated, routes for illicitly supplying militias were cut off, their remnants were besieged, and suffered great losses in lives and equipment, the liberated areas were ensured, and displaced families returned home.

 

"In a decisive and crucial step in the military operations, in response to the legitimate Yemeni government, and in support of the National Yemeni Army, the Coalition for Supporting the Legitimacy in Yemen launched a military and humanitarian operation to liberate the port of Hodeidah in western Yemen in order to stop the smuggling of arms, ensure the security of maritime navigation traffic and facilitate the entry of relief aid to improve living conditions of the brotherly Yemeni people," he added.-TradeArabia News Service