Riyadh declares end to ‘Decisive Storm’ phase in Yemen

Saudi Arabia has declared the end of “Decisive Storm” operation against Yemen, and announced the beginning of a new phase dubbed “Operation Restoring Hope,” Saudi state TV says.

Saudi Arabia has “ended Operation Decisive Storm based on a request by the Yemeni government” and fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, said Saudi government spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri on a televised broadcast on Tuesday, according to Press TV.

He added that the Saudi naval blockade on Yemen would stay in place and the Saudi forces would continue targeting the Ansarullah movement’s Houthi fighters.

According to a Saudi military statement, the next phase of the operations – which would be aimed at commencing political talks and delivering aid, and a mixture of political, diplomatic and military efforts – will start on Wednesday.

Another statement by the Saudi Defense Ministry said that the Saudi airstrikes has destroyed “heavy weaponry and ballistic missiles which were seized by the Houthi militia and forces allied to (former president) Ali Abduallh Saleh from army bases and camps.”

The airstrikes has successfully removed “threats to Saudi Arabia’s security and that of neighboring countries,” the statement added.

Saudi Arabia started its military aggression against Yemen on March 26 — without a UN mandate — in a bid to restore power to Hadi, who is a close ally of Riyadh.

According to reports, about 2,800 people have been killed during the aggression.

Ibrahim Zaaboub