DUBAI (Sputnik) – Saudi Arabia had no option but to support Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and to invade the country, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman al Saud told the MBC broadcaster.
“We have no option whether to intervene in the Yemeni war supporting the legitimate authorities, otherwise the situation would have become worse. Postponement of interference in the situation in Yemen would have aggravated the threat coming from the [Houthi] rebels,” the deputy crown prince said.
He pointed out that Saudi Arabia had supported political initiatives aimed at preventing the war in Yemen.
Yemen has been mired in a military conflict between the government forces headed by Hadi and the Houthi rebels, the country’s main opposition force supported by followers of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.
