American Officials: We Are Ready to Increase Aid in Yemen Operations

Amid Barack Obama's support for the Saudi Arabian military operations and the coalition of Arab countries against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, a group of American officials have stated that the United States is preparing to provide more assistance to this operation. The Wall Street Journal, citing American officials, reported on April 7 that the U.S. military is getting ready to increase its intelligence support, bombs, and aerial refueling for the fighter jets involved in the operation. On the other hand, Bernadette Meehan, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, stated in a statement to reporters that 'the President and King Salman (of Saudi Arabia) agree that the goal is to create stability in Yemen through political dialogue, with the help of the United Nations, and the involvement of all parties - as the Gulf Cooperation Council has predicted.' Since the beginning of the coalition's air operations led by Saudi Arabia against the Houthi rebels, who overthrew the country's president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the United States has stated that it is providing 'intelligence and logistical' support for these operations. A Saudi defense official told the Wall Street Journal on April 7 that the Saudi military has taken complete control of Yemen's airspace just two days after the airstrikes began. A day earlier, General Ahmed Asiri, spokesperson for the Saudi military, stated in a press conference that the coalition currently has no plans for ground operations, 'but if necessary, ground forces from Saudi Arabia and friendly and brotherly countries are ready to respond to any aggression.' Saudi Ambassador: Reports of Iranian and Hezbollah Presence Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi ambassador to Washington, stated in an interview with CNN, 'We have reports that the Iranians are sending weapons to Yemen and providing training and advice to the Houthis. We have reports that Hezbollah (Lebanon) is present in Yemen.' Iran has consistently denied any involvement in Yemen's situation. Fars News Agency quoted Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah Lebanon, as saying in response to the events in Yemen, 'Iran is not an empire, but an Islamic country, and that is why it has rushed to help Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, without asking for anything or imposing a position.' Meanwhile, a representative of Ayatollah Khamenei in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accused Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates of advancing 'America's proxy wars in the region'; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Tehran of trying to dominate the Middle East. In this context, Saudi Arabia stated: 'We currently have no plans for ground operations in Yemen.' The U.S. military rescued two Saudi pilots near the Yemeni coast. The Yemeni government stated that there is still an opportunity for conditional dialogue with the Houthis.