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| Saudi Arabia launches air attacks in Yemen | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SANAA, Yemen — Saudi Arabia and its Persian Gulf allies launched air attacks early Thursday in neighboring Yemen, after Shiite rebels believed backed by Iran swept toward that country’s second-largest city and forced the president to flee. | SANAA, Yemen — Saudi Arabia and its Persian Gulf allies launched air attacks early Thursday in neighboring Yemen, after Shiite rebels believed backed by Iran swept toward that country’s second-largest city and forced the president to flee. |
| The Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, made the announcement Wednesday evening in Washington. He said the operation began at 7 p.m. Eastern time in order “to prevent Yemen from falling into the hands of the Houthis,” the rebels. | |
| The operation was an extraordinary development that could plunge Yemen into full-out war. The ambassador said that military forces from several countries were preparing to join the operation, apparently referring to Saudi Arabia’s gulf allies. He said the airstrikes had targeted sites around the country, including in its capital, Sanaa. The Saudi government had consulted “very closely and very intensely with our partners, in particular the United States,” he said. | |
| Jubeir said the operation would continue until President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was returned to office. “The operations are limited to defending the government and preventing its collapse,” he said. | |
| The gulf countries acted as Aden was close to being seized by the rebels. That would give them control of the capital and the country’s main sea gateway. | |
| That could have marked the end of Hadi’s bid to stay in power. He had been a key Saudi ally and had worked closely with the U.S. government to fight al-Qaeda. . | That could have marked the end of Hadi’s bid to stay in power. He had been a key Saudi ally and had worked closely with the U.S. government to fight al-Qaeda. . |
| Yemen’s branch of al-Qaeda holds patches of the country and views the Houthis as foes in the competition for influence and Yemen’s modest oil wealth. | Yemen’s branch of al-Qaeda holds patches of the country and views the Houthis as foes in the competition for influence and Yemen’s modest oil wealth. |
| [Who are the Houthis?] | [Who are the Houthis?] |
| On a broader level, Yemen represents a potential proxy battlefield for Shiite power Iran and the Sunni Gulf Arab states allied with Washington, which had counted on Hadi as a partner in coordinating drone strikes against al-Qaeda. | On a broader level, Yemen represents a potential proxy battlefield for Shiite power Iran and the Sunni Gulf Arab states allied with Washington, which had counted on Hadi as a partner in coordinating drone strikes against al-Qaeda. |
| In recent days, Saudi Arabia had massed troops and dispatched tanks to its border with Yemen, a sign of its intense unease at the advances by the Iranian-backed rebels. | In recent days, Saudi Arabia had massed troops and dispatched tanks to its border with Yemen, a sign of its intense unease at the advances by the Iranian-backed rebels. |
| Saudi Arabia had launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels near the countries’ border in 2009, after protesting that its border guards were fired on. | Saudi Arabia had launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels near the countries’ border in 2009, after protesting that its border guards were fired on. |
| But any ground intervention would require a long and difficult trip through the heart of Houthi-held territory to reach Aden. And it appeared unlikely that Saudi troops could roll back Houthi control of large parts of Yemen. | But any ground intervention would require a long and difficult trip through the heart of Houthi-held territory to reach Aden. And it appeared unlikely that Saudi troops could roll back Houthi control of large parts of Yemen. |
| Hadi’s government has appealed for military intervention from the Gulf’s military alliance, which is anchored by neighboring Saudi Arabia, and has called on the United Nations to authorize foreign armed forces to enter Yemen. | Hadi’s government has appealed for military intervention from the Gulf’s military alliance, which is anchored by neighboring Saudi Arabia, and has called on the United Nations to authorize foreign armed forces to enter Yemen. |
| Amid the widening chaos, Hadi’s whereabouts remained unclear. | Amid the widening chaos, Hadi’s whereabouts remained unclear. |
| Senior security officials told The Washington Post that Hadi had left his stronghold in Aden, where his government sought a foothold after being driven from the capital, Sanaa, by the Houthis. | Senior security officials told The Washington Post that Hadi had left his stronghold in Aden, where his government sought a foothold after being driven from the capital, Sanaa, by the Houthis. |
| Looters swarmed the presidential buildings in Aden, and fighting flared on several fronts on the edge of the city, said Anis Mansour, editor of the port city’s Huna Aden newspaper. | Looters swarmed the presidential buildings in Aden, and fighting flared on several fronts on the edge of the city, said Anis Mansour, editor of the port city’s Huna Aden newspaper. |
| “What is happening in Aden is an invasion,” said Mansour. | “What is happening in Aden is an invasion,” said Mansour. |
| Yemen’s foreign minister, Riyadh Yaseen, told Al Jazeera from Egypt that Hadi was in a “secure” place in Aden. Later, however, officials told the Associated Press that Hadi and top aides had escaped on two boats. | Yemen’s foreign minister, Riyadh Yaseen, told Al Jazeera from Egypt that Hadi was in a “secure” place in Aden. Later, however, officials told the Associated Press that Hadi and top aides had escaped on two boats. |
| But a senior member of the Houthi political committee, Dhaif Allah Alshami, denied that Hadi had slipped away by sea and said rebels were seeking him in the city. | But a senior member of the Houthi political committee, Dhaif Allah Alshami, denied that Hadi had slipped away by sea and said rebels were seeking him in the city. |
| Alshami claimed the insurgents had taken over the compound where Hadi maintained his government after being driven from Sanaa. The deputy editor of the Almasdar news agency, Ali Alfaqeeh, said the site has come under shelling and there were no sign of Hadi’s forces mounting a counteroffensive. | Alshami claimed the insurgents had taken over the compound where Hadi maintained his government after being driven from Sanaa. The deputy editor of the Almasdar news agency, Ali Alfaqeeh, said the site has come under shelling and there were no sign of Hadi’s forces mounting a counteroffensive. |
| On Wednesday afternoon, White House spokesman Josh Earnest strongly condemned the Houthi offensive, and accused former president Ali Abdullah Saleh of working with the rebels “to foment a lot of instability in the country.” | On Wednesday afternoon, White House spokesman Josh Earnest strongly condemned the Houthi offensive, and accused former president Ali Abdullah Saleh of working with the rebels “to foment a lot of instability in the country.” |
| “And so, we would call on them to stop that instability and that violence,” he said. Saleh was driven from power by Arab Spring-inspired uprisings in 2012, but has remained an important power broker in Yemen. Earnest said that the Obama administration still recognized Hadi as president. | “And so, we would call on them to stop that instability and that violence,” he said. Saleh was driven from power by Arab Spring-inspired uprisings in 2012, but has remained an important power broker in Yemen. Earnest said that the Obama administration still recognized Hadi as president. |
| He added that “there are elements of the Yemeni government that we continue to be in touch with” on counter-terrorism operations aimed at the country’s al-Qaeda affiliate, but he did not provide details. He said he could not confirm Hadi’s location. | He added that “there are elements of the Yemeni government that we continue to be in touch with” on counter-terrorism operations aimed at the country’s al-Qaeda affiliate, but he did not provide details. He said he could not confirm Hadi’s location. |
| In Aden, shopkeeper Abduljabar Mohammed said the streets emptied as the rebel attacks intensified. | In Aden, shopkeeper Abduljabar Mohammed said the streets emptied as the rebel attacks intensified. |
| “I have been hiding in my shop,” he said by telephone. “The people are afraid and worried for their safety. We don’t know what to expect.” | “I have been hiding in my shop,” he said by telephone. “The people are afraid and worried for their safety. We don’t know what to expect.” |
| Houthi-controlled state television said a nearly $100,000 bounty was being offered for the president’s capture. | Houthi-controlled state television said a nearly $100,000 bounty was being offered for the president’s capture. |
| Some members of Hadi’s inner circle, meanwhile, appeared to run out of room. Rebels said they had captured the country’s defense minister and a top aide near Aden. | Some members of Hadi’s inner circle, meanwhile, appeared to run out of room. Rebels said they had captured the country’s defense minister and a top aide near Aden. |
| [ Yemen’s collapse also sinks U.S. counterterrorism strategy] | [ Yemen’s collapse also sinks U.S. counterterrorism strategy] |
| Security officials told the Post that Hadi fled his compound just hours after the rebels announced they had taken the important al-Anad air base, located less than 20 miles from Aden. The airfield was once a main link in the U.S.-directed drone missions against al-Qaeda. | Security officials told the Post that Hadi fled his compound just hours after the rebels announced they had taken the important al-Anad air base, located less than 20 miles from Aden. The airfield was once a main link in the U.S.-directed drone missions against al-Qaeda. |
| Later, the rebels reported taking control of Aden’s civilian airport. | Later, the rebels reported taking control of Aden’s civilian airport. |
| The unraveling of Hadi’s power over the past months has dealt a significant blow to U.S.-led efforts to wage drone attacks and other pinpoint strikes against suspected strongholds of the Yemen-based branch of al-Qaeda, which is considered among the terror group’s most active networks. | The unraveling of Hadi’s power over the past months has dealt a significant blow to U.S.-led efforts to wage drone attacks and other pinpoint strikes against suspected strongholds of the Yemen-based branch of al-Qaeda, which is considered among the terror group’s most active networks. |
| Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels — seen as foes of al-Qaeda — have claimed increasing territory since taking control of the capital in January. | Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels — seen as foes of al-Qaeda — have claimed increasing territory since taking control of the capital in January. |
| Last week, suicide bombers killed at least 137 people at two Shiite mosques in Sanaa linked to the Houthi rebels. | Last week, suicide bombers killed at least 137 people at two Shiite mosques in Sanaa linked to the Houthi rebels. |
| DeYoung reported from Washington. Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. | |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| Shiite rebels call for attacks against governmentYemen’s ousted leader still casts a shadow | Shiite rebels call for attacks against governmentYemen’s ousted leader still casts a shadow |
| Yemen’s ousted leader still casts a shadow | Yemen’s ousted leader still casts a shadow |
| Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world |