- Title: Saudi-led coalition starts military operation against Yemen's Houthis
- Date: 2nd July 2020
- Summary: SANAA, YEMEN (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) ***WARNING:CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT DESTROYED STORAGE HANGAR WHERE AIR STRIKE TOOK PLACE VARIOUS OF MAN HOLDING WATER HOSE SPRAYING AT AIR STRIKE LOCATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT DESTROYED STORAGE HANGAR WHERE AIR STRIKE TOOK PLACE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOCAL RESIDENT, RAGEH SALEH, SAYING: "Two unjustified air strikes, as you can see it's all tires and automotive oil and batteries (the target). There is no military camp even close to this hangar. But this is an enemy that is unjust and brutal that wants to destroy Yemen's infrastructure and to end all signs of life." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT AIR STRIKE LOCATION / SMOKE RISING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOCAL RESIDENT, MANAF AL-FADLY, SAYING: "This enemy does not separate between a child or a woman, or between a military location or a civilian area, or a residential area. You see they targeted this hangar that has tires and oil inside and a small alley, there is no military camp nor a weapons factory, why? This is a spiteful enemy." WATER TRUCK AT AIR STRIKE LOCATION VARIOUS OF TRUCK REMOVING RUBBLE RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COALITION SPOKESMAN, TURKI AL-MALKI, SAYING: "The mutual coalition command centre and the King of Saudi Arabia will cut the hands that target civilians in Saudi Arabia, whether citizens or residents on the Kingdom's territories. The terrorist leaders from the Houthi militia will not be treated softly, and they will be pursued and prosecuted." VARIOUS OF COALITION FOOTAGE OF AIR STRIKE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COALITION SPOKESMAN, TURKI AL-MALKI, SAYING: "The operation is a response to the Houthi threats of launching ballistic missiles and drones from the occupied capital, Sanaa and from Saada province, where ballistic missiles are launched threatening the regional and international security." VARIOUS OF ALLEGED IRAN-MADE WEAPONS ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 16th July 2020 14:02
- Keywords: Houthis Saudi Arabia War Yemen
- Location: SANAA, YEMEN AND RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
- City: SANAA, YEMEN AND RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
- Country: Yemen
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001CL49PAF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Saudi-led coalition has started a military operation against Yemen's Houthi movement after it stepped up cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, Saudi state television reported on Wednesday (July 1).
In Yemen, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported air strikes on the capital Sanaa, Marib, al-Jouf, al-Bayda, Hajjah and Saada provinces throughout the day and into the night.
Residents in Sanaa described the air raids as violent. Al Masirah said late on Wednesday a number of people had been injured there.
The Western-backed coalition with Saudi Arabia and UAE as the main partners has been battling the Iran-aligned Houthi movement for five years. The coalition said earlier that there would be a news conference on the operation that aims to neutralise the Houthis military capabilities, Al-Ekhbariya channel and Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV said.
Last week, Houthi fighters fired missiles that reached the Saudi capital Riyadh in the first such assault since a six-week ceasefire prompted by the novel coronavirus epidemic expired in late May. The coalition said it intercepted the attack.
The coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the Saudi-backed government from the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system.
The conflict is largely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
(Production: Ahmed Ansi, Abdulrahman Yahya, Nael Shyoukhi, Tarek Fahmy) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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