Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
Part of the Yemeni civil war and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
An airstrike in Sanaʽa on 11 May 2015 Current (February 2024) political and military control in the ongoing Yemeni civil war   Government of Yemen[d] and allies   Houthis-led Supreme Political Council   Southern Transitional Council and other UAE-backed groups   Local, non-aligned forces such as the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance   Ansar al-Sharia and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) (See also a detailed map)
Date 26 March 2015 – ongoing (9 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days) Operation Decisive Storm 26 March – 21 April 2015 (3 weeks and 6 days) Operation Restoring Hope 22 April 2015 – present (9 years and 2 months) Location Yemen Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Saudi Arabia[1] United Arab Emirates[2][3][4]  Sudan (2015–19)[2]  Bahrain[2]  Kuwait[2][5]  Qatar (2015–17)[2]  Egypt[2][6]  Jordan[2]  Morocco (2015–19)[2][7]  Senegal[a][9] Academi contractors[10] (2015–16)[11] Saudi-paid Yemeni mercenaries[12] Supported by:  United States[13][14][15]  U.S. Navy[b]  United States Army[19] (Special Forces)  United Kingdom[c]  France  Canada In support of: Republic of Yemen (Presidential Leadership Council) Yemeni Armed Forces[24] Yemeni Air Force Hirak Popular Resistance Committee Al-Islah Movement	Revolutionary Committee/Supreme Political Council Houthis Yemen Army (pro-Saleh and Houthis) (2015–17) Yemeni Republican Guard (2015–17) Iran (alleged, denied by Iran)[25] North Korea (alleged)[26][27][28][29]	Al-Qaeda[30][31]
Commanders and leaders
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Mohammed bin Salman Fahd bin Turki Al Saud (2015–20) Mutlaq bin Salem bin Mutlaq Al-Azima[32] Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (2015–17) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (2015–19) Abdullah II Mohamed VI (2015–19) Macky Sall Rashad al-Alimi (2022–) Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi (2015–22) Mohammed al-Maqdashi Gen. Ali al-Ahmar[33] Gen. Abd Rabbo Hussein †[34] Gen. Ahmad Al-Yafei †[35]	Mohammed Ali al-Houthi Mohamed al-Atifi (2016–) Mahdi al-Mashat (2018–) Saleh Ali al-Sammad † (2015–18) Hussein Khairan (2015–16) Abdul-Malik al-Houthi	Khalid Batarfi Ibrahim al Qosi[36]
Strength
100 warplanes and 150,000 troops[37] 30 warplanes and 15,000 troops[38][39] 4 warplanes[citation needed] and 15,000 troops[40] 15 warplanes[41] 300 troops[42] 15 warplanes[41] 10 warplanes, 1,000 troops[41][43] (until 2017) 4 warships[44] and warplanes[45] 6 warplanes[41] 6 warplanes, 1,500 troops[41][46] 2,100 troops[9] (soldiers not yet deployed in 2016)[8] Academi: 1,800 security contractors[47]	150,000–200,000 fighters[48] 200,000–250,000 Republican Guard: 100,000 Popular Committees: 100,000	al-Qaeda Ansar al-Sharia: 6,000–8,000[49][50][51][52]
Casualties and losses
1,000[53]–3,000[54] soldiers killed by 2016; 10 captured[55] 108–130 soldiers killed[56][57] 1,000 - 4,000 soldiers killed[58][59] 15 soldiers killed[60][61][62] 1 F-16 crashed[63] 4 soldiers killed[64][65] 10 soldiers killed[66][67] 1 F-16 shot down[68][67] 1 F-16 lost[69] Academi: 71 mercenaries killed[11] Unknown	Thousands killed (Aljazeera; as of May 2018)[70] 11,000+ killed (Arab Coalition claim; as of Dec. 2017)[71]	Al-Qaeda AQAP 1,000 killed, 1,500 captured[72]
12,907 Yemeni civilians killed (per the LCRD) 8,672 civilians killed, 9,741 injured by coalition's airstrikes (per Yemen Data Project)[73] 500+ Saudi civilians killed (2014–2016)[74][75] 377,000+ people killed overall (150,000+ from violence) (2014–2021) (UN)[76]
^ soldiers not yet deployed in 2016[8] ^ logistic support and assistance with the naval blockade of Houthi-held territories in October 2016[16][17][18] ^ training, intelligence, logistical support, weapons, and blockade up to 2017[20][21][22][23] ^ Under the Presidential Leadership Council since April 2022

Part of a series on the Yemeni crisis
Main topics Yemeni Revolution 2012 Yemeni presidential election Houthi insurgency al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen South Yemen insurgency Houthi takeover in Yemen Aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war COVID-19 pandemic
Background History of Yemen Yemeni unification Yemeni peace process Human rights in Yemen
v t e

On 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition of nine countries from West Asia and North Africa, launched an intervention in Yemen at the request of Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had been ousted from the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 by Houthi insurgents during the Yemeni Civil War. Efforts by the United Nations to facilitate a power sharing arrangement under a new transitional government collapsed, leading to escalating conflict between government forces, Houthi rebels, and other armed groups, which culminated in Hadi fleeing to Saudi Arabia shortly before it began military operations in the country.

The first month of the intervention, codenamed Operation Decisive Storm (Arabic: عملية عاصفة الحزم, romanized: Amaliyyat 'Āṣifat al-Ḥazm), consisted of airstrikes on Houthi rebels and a full blockade^[77] On 22 April, the Saudi-led coalition declared that it had achieved its initial goals and announced Operation Restoring Hope, which would comprise a "combination of political, diplomatic and military action" while continuing "to prevent the Houthi militias from moving or undertaking any operations inside Yemen".^[78] Ground forces were subsequently deployed into the country^[79] as part of a broader offensive against both Houthi militants and loyalists of Hadi's predecessor, Ali Abdullah Saleh.^[80] Owing to Iran's support of these factions, the conflict is widely regarded as part of the broader Saudi-Iran proxy conflict.

Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates have provided air and ground forces, while Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Constellis have headed several ground operations. Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia opened their airspace, territorial waters, and military bases to coalition forces.^[81] At varying stages, the intervention has been backed by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada. The U.S. provided intelligence and logistical support, such as aerial refueling and search-and-rescue for downed coalition pilots,^[82] accelerated the sale of weapons to coalition states,^[83] and continued strikes against AQAP. In 2016, American and British military officials were confirmed to have provided advice and training related to Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen.^[84][85][86]

The intervention has received widespread international criticism for killing thousands of noncombatants, destroying civilian infrastructure, and intensifying Yemen's humanitarian crisis.^[87][23] Academics also dispute whether it violates Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.^[88][89][90] By 2019, the conflict was reported as a "military stalemate",^[91] and the following year, Saudi Arabia declared its first unilateral ceasefire.^[92][93] On 29 March 2022, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it would cease all hostilities within Yemen to facilitate political talks and peacekeeping efforts;^[94] Houthi and Saudi officials subsequently began bilateral peace talks mediated by Oman under UN auspices, and most restrictions on commercial goods were lifted by April 2023.^[95] As of April 2024, open hostilities have largely ceased, though negotiations are ongoing due to complications caused by Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping since October 2023.^[95]

Background

Saudi-backed Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, running unopposed as the only candidate for president, won the 2012 Yemeni elections.^[96] Since August 2014, the Houthis (or Ansar Allah), a Zaidi Shia movement and militant group backed by Iran, dissatisfied with Hadi government's decisions and the new constitution, arranged mass protests which culminated into their takeover of the Yemeni government in 2015, declaring victory of the revolution and drafting a new constitution when the term of Hadi's provisional government had already expired. Saudi Arabia and other countries denounced this as an unconstitutional coup d'état.^[97] The Houthis were supported by sections of the Yemeni armed forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was removed from power as part of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings and ironically assassinated later on by his Houthi allies.^[98][99]

By September 2014, Houthi fighters captured Sanaʽa, toppling Hadi's government. Soon after, a peace deal (known as the 'Peace and Partnership Agreement') was sealed between the Hadi government and the Houthis, but was not honored by either party. The deal was drafted with the intent of defining a power-sharing government. A conflict over a draft constitution resulted in the Houthis consolidating control over the Yemeni capital in January 2015. After resigning from his post alongside his prime minister and remaining under virtual house arrest for one month, Hadi fled to Aden in southern Yemen in February.^[100][101] Upon arriving in Aden, Hadi withdrew his resignation, saying that the actions of the Houthis from September 2014 had amounted to a "coup" against him.^[102][103] By 25 March, forces answering to Sanaʽa were rapidly closing in on Aden, which Hadi had declared to be Yemen's temporary capital.^[104]

During the Houthis' southern offensive, Saudi Arabia began a military buildup on its border with Yemen.^[105] In response, a Houthi commander boasted that his troops would counterattack against any Saudi aggression and would not stop until they had taken Riyadh, the Saudi capital.^[106]

On 25 March, Hadi called on the UN Security Council to authorise "willing countries that wish to help Yemen to provide immediate support for the legitimate authority by all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter the Houthi aggression".^[107]

Yemen's foreign minister, Riad Yassin, requested military assistance from the Arab League on 25 March, amid reports that Hadi had fled his provisional capital.^[108][109] On 26 March, Saudi state TV station Al-Ekhbariya TV reported that Hadi arrived at a Riyadh airbase and was met by Saudi Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud. His route from Aden to Riyadh was not immediately known.^[110]

At a summit of the Arab League held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on 28–29 March, President Hadi again repeated his calls for international intervention in the fighting. A number of League members pledged their support to Hadi's government during that meeting.^[111][112]

After more than seven years of hostilities that left thousands of civilians dead or injured and devastated Yemen, a surprise deal was agreed between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran in March 2023. The deal aimed to restore diplomatic relations that could end the Saudi war in Yemen. Experts raised a warning that the war could worsen instead of ending, if Saudi Arabia agrees to end military operations.^[113]

Operation Decisive Storm

According to the Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia contributed 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers to the military operation. Several media agencies reported that planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain were taking part.^{[114][115][116][41][117][118][excessive citations]} Egypt had previously sent four warships supporting the Saudi naval blockade.^[119]

The operation was declared over on 21 April 2015.^[120]

Air campaign

March 2015

In March 2015, in a joint statement, the member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (with the exception of Oman) said they had decided to intervene against the Houthis at the request of Hadi's government.^[121]

The coalition declared Yemeni airspace to be a restricted area, with King Salman declaring the RSAF to be in full control of the zone.^[41] Saudi Arabia began airstrikes, reportedly relying on US intelligence reports and surveillance images to select and hit targets, including weapons, aircraft^[122] on the ground and air defences.^[123] Al Jazeera reported that Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi commander appointed in February as president of the Revolutionary Committee, was injured and three other Houthi commanders were killed by airstrikes in Sanaʽa.^[124]

Strikes on 26 March also hit Al Anad Air Base, a former US special operations forces facility in Lahij Governorate seized by Houthis earlier in the week.^[125] The targets reportedly included the Houthi-controlled missile base in Sanaʽa and its fuel depot.^[126] Strikes overnight also targeted Houthis in Taiz and Sa'dah. Thousands demonstrated in Sanaʽa against the intervention, which ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh also condemned. In Taiz thousands came out supporting Hadi and Saudi Arabia.^[127]

The scope of strikes expanded further on 27 March, with a radar installation in the Marib Governorate and an airbase in the Abyan Governorate coming under air attack. The commander of the operation dismissed reports of civilian casualties, saying airstrikes were being carried out with precision.^[128] Additional strikes early on the next day hit targets in Al Hudaydah, Sa'dah and the Sanaʽa area, as well as Ali Abdullah Saleh's main base. Rumours indicated Saleh fled to Sanhan, on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled capital.^[129] An Aden government official said Saudi strikes destroyed a long-range missile facility controlled by the Houthis.^[130]

The Houthis claimed to have shot down a Sudanese Air Force plane over northern Sanaʽa and captured its pilot on 28 March. The Sudanese government denied that any of its four warplanes had come under fire or been shot down.^[117] On the previous day, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a "hostile" Saudi drone in Sanaʽa.^[131]

Airstrikes hit an arms depot, military airbase and special forces headquarters in Sanaʽa early on 29 March. A weapons depot outside Sanaʽa was destroyed, causing damage to an airport and planes on the ground. Sa'dah and Al Hudaydah were targeted as well. Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, the coalition's spokesman, said Saudi artillery and Apache attack helicopters were mobilised to "deter" Houthi fighters massing on the border with Saudi Arabia.^[132]

On 30 March, at least 40 people including children were killed and 200 were injured^[133] by an airstrike that hit Al-Mazraq refugee camp near a military installation in northern district of Haradh, international organizations said. Airstrikes also hit areas near the presidential palace in Sanaʽa,^[134] as well as Aden International Airport.^[135]

Food storage of Yemen Economic Corporation in Hodeidah was destroyed by three coalition strikes on 31 March.^[136] Airstrikes were not limited to the Yemeni mainland. Missiles struck homes on the island of Perim, according to residents who fled by boat to Djibouti.^[137]

April 2015

Dozens of casualties came from an explosion in a dairy and oil factory in Al Hudaydah, which was variously blamed on an airstrike or a rocket from a nearby military base on 1 April. Medical sources reported 25 deaths, while the Yemen Army said 37 were killed and 80 wounded.^[138] Airstrikes also hit targets in Sa'dah on 1 April.^[139]

Despite persistent airstrikes, Houthi and allied units continued to advance on central Aden, backed by tanks and heavy artillery.^[140][141] Houthis seized the presidential palace on 2 April, but reportedly withdrew after overnight air raids early the next day.^[142] Coalition planes also airdropped weapons and medical aid to pro-Hadi fighters in Aden.^[143]

The International Committee of the Red Cross announced on 5 April that it had received permission from the coalition to fly medical supplies and aid workers into Sanaʽa and was awaiting permission to send a surgical team by boat to Aden. The coalition said it had set up a special body to coordinate aid deliveries to Yemen.^[144]

On 6 April, airstrikes began before sunset and struck targets in western Sanaʽa, Sa'dah and the Ad Dali' Governorate, a supply route for Houthis in the Battle of Aden.^[145]

Airstrikes on 7 April hit a Republican Guard base in the Ibb Governorate, injuring 25 troops. Yemeni sources claimed three children at a nearby school were killed by the attack,^[146] while six were injured.^[147]

The Parliament of Pakistan voted against military action on 10 April, despite a request from Saudi Arabia that it join the coalition.^[148]

Airstrikes launched on 12 April, against the base of the 22nd Brigade of the Yemeni Republican Guard in the Taiz Governorate struck both the brigade and a nearby village inhabited by members of the Al-Akhdam minority community, killing eight civilians and injuring more than ten others.^[149] On 17 April, both the GCC coalition's spokesman called by Saudi broadcaster Al-Ehkbariya TV and a commander of the pro-Hadi rebels on the ground said airstrikes had intensified, focusing on both Sanaʽa and Taiz.^[150] One strike on the Republican Palace in Taiz killed 19 pro-Houthi gunmen.^[151]

Naval role

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Decisive_Storm
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