Saudi Arabia Bombs Northern Yemen, Latest War Crime in Sa’ada War
A follow-up to our post yesterday, Yemen Rebels Invade Saudi Arabia, today the Saudi air force launched air strikes on the Saudi outpost that was taken by the Yemeni rebels. The Saudi air force also launched sustained bombing on targets inside northern Yemen, a Saudi advisor told the WaPo (links below the fold).
The quote of the day, “”After what happened yesterday, it is clear they have lost track of reality and it has got to a point where there is no other way. They have got to be finished,” he said. There are a great many groups and individuals in Yemen who have lost touch with reality.
The incident is significant in that this is the first admission by the Saudis that they are bombing northern Yemen. Their justification is the cross border attack by the rebels on the Saudi outpost yesterday. One Saudi soldier was killed and 11 wounded. However, the Saudi forces have been lending air support to the Yemeni military for quite some time, and the rebels presented photo documentation of Saudi missiles in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is also largely funding the war.
If anyone is interested in the back story of the military outpost, it had changed hands several times before. It was another secret deal gone bad.
According to the rebels website as of yesterday, all the encounters were in Jabal Al-Dukhan (Smoky Mountain!), and only with Yemeni troops, who were handed the former Saudi military post by the Saudis to fight the Houthis. After the Houthis took over the mountain. they agreed with the Saudi border troops to return the outpost to the Saudis, only to find that the Saudis gave it back to the Yemeni troops. The Houthis then again kicked out the Yemeni troops and took over the outpost. When the Saudis sent out a patrol to scout the area, the Houthis hit the patrol as they have warned that they will not allow the takeover of the outpost again by the Saudis to have it given back to the Yemeni forces.The Saudis then went on to shell the Houthis and other areas in Yemeni territory. killing one and wounding another of the Houthi fighters.
Meanwhile there is an extreme humanitarian disaster in northern Yemen among the civilian population and war refugees. Tens of thousands are without any support whatsoever, because the Yemeni government refuses to stop bombing long enough to create a humanitarian corridor.
Both Yemen and Saudi Arabia are in violation of international laws of war. Both are bombing residential areas. The Yemeni government is withholding international aid to Sa’ada since August, and Saudi Arabia is refusing entry by civilians fleeing the violence. The rebels are mingling among civilian populations, drawing fire.
Yemeni president Saleh is allowing Saudi Arabia to indiscriminately target villages in Sa’ada but refuses to allow the US to engage in targeted Predator strikes against al Qaeda.
BBC: Saudi jets ‘attack Yemen rebels’
WaPo, Saudi air force hits Yemen rebels after border raid
Yemen Observer, quasi-governmental.
Continuous confrontations between al-Houthi rebels and Saudi forces kill dozens
Cross Roads Arabia Saudi Airforce attacks Yemeni Rebel Villages
AOL Yemeni tanks and artillery demolish Sa’ada City













