Riyadh: Lambasting the dubious role being played by Iran in the stand-off between government forces and Al Houthi rebels in Yemen, Saudi analysts accused Iran of breeding ‘Al Houthi Hezbollah' in order to create a security headache for the kingdom.
Dr Ali Al Atiyyah, a political analyst, said Al Houthi rebels are simply tools in the hands of a big player.
"Even though Saudi Arabia wants to maintain good bilateral relations with all the countries in the region, it will not tolerate any attempts to undermine its security and stability," he said.
Saudi writer Yousuf Al Kowalit said Saudi Arabia preferred a policy of non-interference and neutrality on almost all Arab internal issues. "However, [Al] Houthi rebels now pose a grave threat to its own internal security. The government of Saudi Arabia will do whatever needed to protect its borders from such an aggression," he added.
Major General Ebrahim Al Malek, director general of general affairs at the Saudi Armed Forces, told Gulf News it is difficult to pass on to media the clear picture of the operation's outcome or the number of infiltrators at present. "This is mainly because of the ruggedness of the mountainous regions where the military operation is going on. All relevant information will be made public after completion of the operation, which started on Wednesday, to flush out the last remaining infiltrators," he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Salem Al Selmi, an official in charge of general affairs of the Border Guards General Directorate, said the southern border regions are firmly in the control of Saudi forces.
