Saudi Arabia starts bombing Yemen Shiite Houthi rebels

© Reuters / Fahad Shadeed

Saudi Arabian forces, joined by nine other countries, have launched a military operation in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels, the Saudi ambassador to the US said. The offensive, which started with airstrikes, will also involve "other military assets."

According to Ambassador Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, the military operation in Yemen started at 7 p.m. EST (11 p.m. GMT). The US is not participating in the operation, the envoy stressed.

Al Arabiya reported that warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force bombed positions of Yemen's Houthi militia, targeting their air defenses.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait issued a joint statement saying that they "decided to repel Houthi militias, Al-Qaeda and ISIS (Islamic State) in the country." The Gulf states said they were responding to a "major threat" to the stability of the region, saying that their cause is to "repel Houthi aggression" in Yemen.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, along with its allies within the GCC and outside the GCC..." (cont.)

— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) March 25, 2015

"...Launched military operations in support of the people of Yemen and their legitimate government."

— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) March 25, 2015