Riyadh: 375 Civilians Killed in Houthi Attacks on Southern Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia announced that missiles and rockets fired by Houthi militants and their allies at border towns and villages in southern Saudi Arabia have so far killed at least 375 civilians, including 63 children. These attacks began last April after the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi positions and their allies. Before the start of this operation, the Houthis and their allies had seized vast areas of Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, and declared the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi illegal. The Arab coalition claims it intervened in Yemen at the request of the 'legitimate' government of Mansur Hadi to support it. Ahmed Asiri, advisor to the Saudi Minister of Defense and official spokesman for the Arab coalition, told Reuters: 'Houthi militants and military forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have fired more than 40,000 missiles and rockets at Saudi border areas since the war began.' He added: 'Our current rules of engagement are: if you approach the border, you will be killed.' Asiri's remarks indicate the intensity of the fighting in border areas. He stated that on Monday, February 1, approximately 130 rockets and 15 missiles were launched at Saudi border areas. Saudi Arabia has faced international criticism for the deaths of hundreds of civilians in airstrikes by the Arab coalition. Riyadh announced on Sunday that it would improve its operational mechanisms and form a committee to investigate reports of bombing civilian targets in coalition airstrikes. The United Nations states that since the war began in Yemen, about 6,000 people have been killed in the country, half of whom are civilians. These individuals have lost their lives during the conflicts and in airstrikes by the Arab coalition. Asiri stated that the civilians killed in Saudi Arabia were both citizens of the country and foreign residents. He added that the continued attacks by the Houthis and forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh prompted Riyadh to evacuate about 10,000 southern villages, relocate more than 7,000 people to other areas, and close more than 500 schools. He further stated that the Houthis have taken hundreds of Yemenis hostage in border areas. Asiri admitted that the ground war is progressing slowly and added that coalition forces are currently fighting to control the mountainous region of Nihm, which paves the way for operations in Sana'a. Currently, most of the fighting in Yemen is between forces loyal to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and his supporters on one side and the Houthis and their allies on the other, taking place in the Taiz region, the third-largest city in the country. These clashes have continued since last September. The Houthis and their allies control the mountains surrounding the city, and the forces supporting Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi have so far been unable to break this siege. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Arab coalition for the naval blockade of Yemen, which was established to prevent weapons from reaching the Houthis. These organizations claim that the blockade has put the country on the brink of a widespread hunger crisis. However, Asiri stated that the coalition allows humanitarian aid ships to reach the ports of Aden, which is controlled by supporters of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and Hodeidah, which is under Houthi control. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi declared Aden a temporary capital after returning to Yemen following the recapture of the city from the Houthis.