CAIRO (Sputnik) – The Saudi-led coalition targeted Houthi rebels with fresh airstrikes in the Yemeni capital Sanaa as well as the southern port city of Aden, shortly before the announced end of the bombing campaign, a representative of the Yemeni military command told RIA Novosti late on Tuesday.
Earlier, the coalition announced that its Decisive Storm military operation in Yemen would end at 00:00 local time on Wednesday (21:00 GMT on Tuesday) and would be replaced by the Restoring Hope campaign, which will focus on counter-terrorism efforts, humanitarian missions, and the revival of political dialogue in the crisis-hit country.
According to coalition spokesman, Saudi Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, the Decisive Storm operation was terminated at the request of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.
Asiri also said that the coalition forces would continue to hinder the movement of Houthis across Yemen and defend the civilian population in Aden.
Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have been bombing Yemen for almost a month in a bid to weaken the Shiite Houthi rebels, who are the main opposition force in the country and who have taken control of several cities including Sanaa. The airstrikes were launched in late March, following a request for military support from Hadi.
Houthis forced Hadi and the Yemeni government to resign in January, when the rebels took control of Sanaa. Hadi later withdrew his resignation after escaping from house arrest and fleeing to Aden. At the end of March Hadi left Yemen for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing violence.
According to UN estimates, over 700 people have been killed and 2,700 wounded since the start of the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
