A Saudi-led coalition says it has launched a broad air campaign, codenamed Operation Dawn of Yemen, striking 324 'high-value targets' with 100 fighter jets against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
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Key facts
- The coalition says it attacked 324 'high-value targets' in Yemen.
- The operation involves 100 fighter jets, according to coalition leaders.
- Strikes targeted areas along the Red Sea coastline and the capital, Sana'a.
- Coalition spokesperson Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki said the campaign is called Operation Dawn of Yemen.
- The coalition said it secured 'air protection' of the Bab al-Mandab strait.
A Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a major air campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, attacking 324 ‘high-value targets’ in an operation involving 100 fighter jets, according to Sky News.
The Guardian reported that leaders of the coalition claimed the broad air campaign was under way on Monday against the Houthis along the Red Sea coastline and farther north in the capital, Sana’a.
The coalition spokesperson, Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki, said the 100 fighter jets taking part in Operation Dawn of Yemen were providing support to forces of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, according to the Guardian.
The operation was said to have secured ‘air protection’ of the Bab al-Mandab strait and destroyed hundreds of targets, the Guardian reported.
The claims come from the coalition itself, which described the targets as ‘high-value’. The sources available do not provide independent confirmation of the number of targets struck or details of any casualties.
The Houthis are described in the reporting as being backed by Iran, while the coalition says its campaign is in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Why it matters
The Bab al-Mandab strait is a critical shipping chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to global trade routes, so military action there can affect international commerce. The scale of the claimed campaign signals a significant escalation in the long-running conflict in Yemen.
Frequently asked questions
How many targets did the coalition say it struck?
The Saudi-led coalition says it attacked 324 'high-value targets' in the operation, according to Sky News.
What is the operation called?
Coalition spokesperson Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki said the campaign is named Operation Dawn of Yemen, according to the Guardian.
Where did the strikes take place?
The Guardian reported the air campaign targeted areas along the Red Sea coastline and the capital, Sana'a, with the coalition saying it secured 'air protection' of the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Timeline
- Yemen air campaign against Houthis under way, says Saudi-led coalition
The Guardian World: Operation supported by 100 fighter jets said to have secured ‘air protection’ of Bab al-Mandab strait and destroyed hundreds of targets Leaders of a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen claimed a broad air campaign involving 100 jet aircraft was under way on Monday against the Iran-backe
- Air campaign against Houthis under way in Yemen, says Saudi-led coalition
The Guardian World: Operation supported by 100 fighter jets said to have secured ‘air protection’ of Bab al-Mandab strait and destroyed hundreds of targets Leaders of a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen claimed a broad air campaign involving 100 jet aircraft was under way on Monday against the Iran-backe
- 'Hundreds of Houthi targets in Yemen attacked' in air campaign by Saudi-led coalition
Sky News: A Saudi-led coalition says it has attacked 324 "high-value targets" in an operation involving 100 fighter jets against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.