Yemen alliance vows to smash Al Houthi arsenal
Army downs militia drone amid dimming prospects for Sweden talks
Cairo: An Arab alliance, fighting Al Houthis in Yemen, has vowed to destroy the Iran-aligned militia’s arsenal.
This came after the coalition, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Saturday destroyed a missile launch pad in the Al Houthi stronghold of Saada.
The facility was targeted after the rebels tried to camouflage it, the alliance’s spokesman Turki Al Malki said.
“The coalition is committed to destroying the qualitative capabilities of Al Houthi militias such as ballistic missiles,” he added.
“We cannot allow a terrorist militia to obtain them and threaten regional and international security,” the official said.
In recent months, the extremists have stepped up firing of missiles into Saudi territory, mainly from Saada.
Government forces said they had shot down a rebel drone packed with explosives over Ma’arib in east Yemen.
The drone was downed Saturday before it could reach a targeted military position in the province, the army said.
Yemen’s military escalation is dimming prospects for UN-brokered peace talks planned in Sweden. No specific date has been set for the talks, which the UN hopes will be held this month.