Saudi-led warplanes struck key targets of Yemen’s Houthi forces in their northern stronghold of Saada, state media said Friday after Riyadh vowed “harsh” punishment for deadly cross-border bombardments.
The raids on Thursday targeted two control centers, a communication complex and a landmine factory, the kingdom’s SPA official news agency said, France24 reported.
Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, had said the Houthis had changed the situation by launching attacks against Saudi positions in recent days, and vowed that the coalition would go after leaders of the group.
“The Houthis are now targeting the borders of the kingdom and the situation is that we will defend our citizens,” Asseri said. “Coalition forces will deliver a harsh response starting this moment, so that those who carried out this operation will pay the price,” he said earlier on Saudi state television.
The remarks came hours after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry that the Arab country was ready to offer a five-day humanitarian ceasefire if the Houthis honored the truce.
International concern about Yemen’s dire humanitarian situation has grown as fighting, Saudi-led airstrikes and an arms embargo have caused civilian deaths, internal displacement, destruction of infrastructure and shortages of food, medicine and fuel.
