Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen

Main article: Yemeni Civil War (2015)

Saudi Arabia-led intervention in Yemen (2015–present)
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2015) and the Yemeni Crisis
An airstrike in Sana'a on 11 May 2015 The military situation in Yemen, as of 11 November 2015:   Controlled by Houthi jihadists (Ansar Allah)   Controlled by Hadi loyalists   Controlled by AQAP/Ansar al-Sharia forces (See also a detailed map)
Date 25 March 2015 – present (7 months, 4 weeks and 1 day) Operation Decisive Storm 25 March 2015 – 21 April 2015 (3 weeks and 6 days) Operation Restoring Hope 22 April 2015 – present (7 months and 2 days) Location Yemen Status Ongoing Saudi-led coalition claimed to have achieved its military goals Yemeni forces backed by Saudi-led coalition recapture Aden, Lahj, half of Taiz city and Zinjibar from Ansar Allah jihadists Saudi led coalition restore the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in Aden Saudi backed forces continue offensive to retake capital from Ansar Allah fighters. Saudi-led coalition announced an end to the airstrike campaign and the beginning of an operation aimed at a political solution; however, air-strikes and naval blockade continue
Belligerents
Yemen (Hadi government) Saudi Arabia UAE Bahrain Kuwait Qatar Egypt Jordan Morocco Senegal Sudan Supported by: Somalia (non-combat) United States (intelligence, weapons, and blockade) United Kingdom (intelligence, weapons, and blockade)	Revolutionary Committee (Houthis) Yemen Army (pro-Saleh & Houthis) Yemeni Republican Guard Yemeni Air Force Air Defence Supported by: Iran
Commanders and leaders
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud Lt Gen Muhammad Al Shaalan  † Major General Abdulrahman bin Saad al-Shahrani  † Brig Gen Ahmed Al Asiri Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa (WIA) Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Omar al-Bashir Abdullah II Mohamed VI Macky Sall Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi	Mohammed Ali al-Houthi Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Ali Abdullah Saleh Ahmed Ali Saleh (son of Ali Abdullah Saleh)
Strength
100 warplanes and 150,000 troops 30 warplanes 15 warplanes 15 warplanes 10 warplanes, 1000 troops 4 warships, 800 troops and an unknown number of warplanes 6 warplanes 6 warplanes 2,100 troops 4 warplanes and 6,000 troops Total: 10,000+ troops (8 September 2015)	100,000 - 150,000 fighters 70,000 -100,000 Republican Guard: 70,000
Casualties and losses
66 soldiers killed, 3 missing in action and 2 captured; 1 F-15S lost (non-combat); 3 helicopters shot down and 1 damaged 4 M1A2S lost 70 soldiers killed 5 soldiers killed 1 soldier killed 1 pilot killed; 1 F-16 shot down 134 soldiers killed and 250 wounded (Friendly Fire) 164 soldiers killed Total: 540 killed	~853 - 1,000 killed
1,641 civilian deaths (6 Indians) from airstrikes (per U.N.; as of late October) 14 Saudi civilians killed (per Saudi Arabia)

Part of a series on the Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
Main topics Yemeni Revolution Yemeni presidential election, 2012 Houthi insurgency in Yemen al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen South Yemen insurgency Houthi takeover in Yemen Aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen Yemeni Civil War (2015)
Background History of Yemen Yemeni unification

The Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen began in 2015 to influence the outcome of the Yemeni Civil War. Saudi Arabia, spearheading a coalition of nine Arab states, began carrying out airstrikes in neighbouring Yemen and imposing an aerial and naval blockade on 26 March, heralding a military intervention codenamed Operation Decisive Storm (Arabic: عملية عاصفة الحزم‎ `Amaliyyat `Āṣifat al-Ḥazm).

The intervention began in response to requests for assistance from the internationally recognized but domestically contested Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. The request was due to a Houthi tribal offensive aimed at its provisional capital of Aden. President Hadi fled Aden, left the country and went to Saudi Arabia as the coalition launched airstrikes against the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Fighter jets from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain also took part in the operation. Somalia made its airspace, territorial waters and military bases available to the coalition. The United States provided intelligence and logistical support, including search-and-rescue for downed coalition pilots. It also accelerated the sale of weapons to coalition states. Pakistan was called on by Saudi Arabia to join the coalition, but its parliament voted to maintain neutrality.

Described as a "humanitarian disaster" and a "catastrophe", the blockade left 78% (20 million) of the Yemeni population in urgent need of food, water and medical aid. Aid ships are allowed, but the bulk of commercial shipping, on which the country relies, is blocked. In one occasion, coalition jets prevented an Iranian Red Crescent plane from landing by bombing Sana'a International Airport's (SIA) runway, which blocked aid delivery via air. As of 28 April, 300,000 people had been displaced by the fighting. Many countries, such as China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia and India evacuated or planned to evacuate foreign citizens. Many groups fled Yemen for Somalia and Djibouti.

On 21 April, Saudi Arabia announced an end to Operation Decisive Storm, saying the intervention's focus would "shift from military operations to the political process". The kingdom and its coalition partners said they would be launching political and peace efforts, which they called Operation Restoring Hope (Arabic: عملية إعادة الأمل‎ `Amaliyyat 'I`ādat al-'Amal). However, the coalition did not rule out using force, saying it would respond to threats and prevent Houthi militants from operating within Yemen. Airstrikes and shelling continued under Restoring Hope, including air attacks destroying the main runway at SIA and several buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sana'a Old City.

Background

See also: Houthi insurgency in Yemen and Aftermath of the 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état

Ethnoreligious groups in 2002. Zaydi Shi'a followers make up between 35% and 42.1% of Muslims.

Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, running unopposed for president, won the 2012 Yemeni elections. The Houthis (or Ansar Allah), a Zaidi Shia movement and militant group thought to be backed by Iran, took control of the Yemeni government through a series of actions in 2014 and 2015. Saudi Arabia and other countries denounced this as an unconstitutional coup d'état.

In military operations on the ground, the Houthis were supported by sections of the Yemeni armed forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was removed from power as part of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Houthi leaders claimed that Saudi Arabia was trying to break the alliance between the Houthis and Saleh’s supporters; reports claimed that Saleh’s son Ahmed Ali Saleh had traveled to the Saudi capital to attempt to broker a deal to end the airstrikes. Saudi media claim that Saleh or his son had approached Riyadh seeking such a deal.

By September 2014, Houthi fighters captured Sana'a, toppling Hadi's government. Soon after, a peace deal (known as the Peace and Partnership Agreement) was concluded 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. 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. By 25 March, forces answering to Sana'a were rapidly closing in on Aden, which Hadi had declared to be Yemen's temporary capital.

During the Houthis' southern offensive, Saudi Arabia began a military buildup on its border with Yemen. 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.

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.”

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. 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.

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.

Sunni-Shia divide

Around 42% of Yemenis follow the Zaidi school of Shia Islam, with another 1.5% following other Shia schools. The Zaidi Shia Houthis' strength and influence were amplified after forming an alliance with former president Saleh, who helped enlist important segments of the country's military to fight against pro-Hadi coalition forces.

Operation Decisive Storm

According to the Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia contributed 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers to the military operation. Reuters indicated that planes from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain were taking part.

The UAE contributed 30 fighter jets, Kuwait sent 15 (understood to be three squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet aircraft), Bahrain sent 15, Qatar 10, Jordan and Morocco six each and Sudan four.

The operation was declared over on 21 April 2015.

Air campaign

UAEAF F16F Block 60 taking off from a military base to conduct airstrikes on Houthi targets.

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.

The coalition declared Yemeni airspace to be a restricted area, with King Salman declaring the RSAF to be in full control of the zone. SA began airstrikes, reportedly relying on US intelligence reports and surveillance images to select and hit targets, including weapons and aircraft on the ground. Al Arabiya said the first round of strikes targeted the military airbase at SIA and destroyed much of Yemen's air defences. According to Saudi officials, the strikes also destroyed a number of warplanes on the ground. 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 Sana'a.

According to rescue workers, 13 civilians were killed in a residential neighborhood near Al-Dulaimi Airbase after airstrikes destroyed seven homes. Houthi-controlled al-Masirah TV quoted the health ministry as declaring the death toll to be 18.

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

The scope of strikes expanded further on 27 March, with a radar installation in the Ma'rib 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.

Additional strikes early in the morning on 28 March hit targets in Al Hudaydah, Sa'dah and the Sana'a area, as well as Ali Abdullah Saleh's main base. Rumours indicated Saleh fled to Sanhan, on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled capital. More strikes destroyed part of a Houthi convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles and trucks heading from Shuqrah toward Aden. An Aden government official said Saudi strikes destroyed a long-range missile facility controlled by the Houthis.

The Houthis claimed to have shot down a Sudanese Air Force plane over northern Sana'a 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. On the previous day, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a "hostile" Saudi drone in Sana'a.

Airstrikes hit an arms depot, military airbase and special forces headquarters in Sana'a early on 29 March. A weapons depot outside Sana'a 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.

On 30 March, at least 40 people including children were killed and 200 were injured 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 Sana'a, as well as Aden International Airport.

During an Arab League summit, coalition states obtained permission from the Federal Government of Somalia to use its Berbera and Bosaso military bases, as well as Somali airspace and territorial waters.

At least five airstrikes were conducted in support of Hadi loyalists in the Ad Dali' Governorate on 31 March. Strikes were also reported in the northern Sa'dah and Hajjah governorates, with Saudi helicopters being sent across the border.

Food storage of Yemen Economic Corporation in Hodeidah was destroyed by three coalition strikes on March 31.

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.

April 2015

Sana'a after airstrike, April 2015

Dozens of casualties came from an explosion at 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. Airstrikes also hit targets in Sa'dah on 1 April.

In Ad Dali', the pro-Houthi 33rd Brigade of the Yemen Army was hit by repeated airstrikes. Its commander reportedly fled and the brigade disintegrated.

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

A family of nine was killed and other civilians wounded by an airstrike on Okash village near Sana'a on 4 April.

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 Sana'a 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.

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

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, while six were injured.

The coalition hit arms depots in northern Aden on 8 April, causing three large explosions.

The Parliament of Pakistan voted against military action on 10 April, despite a request from SA that it join the coalition.

Shopping center destroyed by a strike in Sanaa on 20 April

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. 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 Sana'a and Taiz. One strike on the Republican Palace in Taiz killed 19 pro-Houthi gunmen.

A combination of airstrikes and ground fighting in Daleh reportedly killed 17 Houthis and six separatist fighters on 19 April. Airstrikes targeted a weapons depot in Sana'a on 20 April, but they reportedly missed. A Scud missile base in the Faj Attan district was hit. At least 46 were killed and hundreds more injured in the strikes on the capital, with a Yemeni television presenter among the dead.

Naval role

Egypt and Saudi Arabia were quick to commit warships to support coalition operations. Somalia offered its airspace and territorial waters.

Four Egyptian Navy vessels steamed toward the Gulf of Aden after operations began. SA requested access to Somali airspace and waters to carry out operations. On 27 March, the Egyptian military said a squadron of Egyptian and Saudi warships took up positions at the Bab al-Mandab strait. The Saudi military threatened to destroy any ship attempting to make port.

Two Saudi F-15S pilots were rescued by a United States Air Force Pararescue unit from Camp Lemonnier on 27 March, after a mechanical issue forced them to bail out in the Gulf of Aden.

The Royal Saudi Navy evacuated diplomats and United Nations staff from Aden to Jeddah on 28 March.

Witnesses told Reuters that Egyptian warships bombarded Houthi positions as they attempted to advance on Aden on 30 March. Warships again fired on Houthi positions at Aden International Airport on or about 1 April.

Djibouti foreign minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the Houthis placed heavy weapons and fast attack boats on Perim and a smaller island in the Bab al-Mandab strait. He warned that "the prospect of a war in the strait of Bab al-Mandab is a real one" and said the weapons posed "a big danger" to his country, commercial shipping traffic, and military vessels. He called on the coalition to clear the islands, which he said included missiles and long-range cannons.

On 4 April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called protecting Red Sea shipping and securing the Bab al-Mandab "a top priority for Egypt's national security".

On 15 April, coalition spokesman Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Al-Asiri, said that the its warships were focusing on protecting shipping routes and screening ships heading to port for shipments intended for the Houthis.

The US Navy provided support to the naval blockade, halting and searching vessels suspected of carrying Iranian arms to the Houthis.

On 21 April, the United States announced it was deploying warships to Yemeni waters to monitor Iranian ships. The US in particular noted a convoy of Iranian vessels, which US authorities said could potentially be carrying weapons to Houthi fighters in contravention of UN sanctions. The US reported that the Iranian convoy reversed course on 23 April. The Iranian Navy 34th fleet commander dismissed Pentagon's claims and called the reports "media ballyhoo", saying that his warships, Alborz frigate and Bushehr helicopter-carrier, were conducting their regular anti-piracy patrol.

Ground clashes

SA and Egypt stated their readiness to participate in a ground campaign. Sudan said it was stationing ground troops in SA.

On 31 March, Saudi and Houthi forces reportedly traded artillery and rocket fire across the border between SA and Yemen. A Saudi border guard was killed on 2 April, the campaign's first confirmed coalition casualty. A civilian Egyptian truck driver reportedly suffered critical injuries from Houthi artillery shelling and later died.

SA reportedly began removing sections of the Saudi–Yemen barrier fence along its border with the Sa'dah and Hajjah governorates on 3 April. The purpose of the removal was not immediately clear.

Two more Saudi border guards were killed on 3 April in the 'Asir Region. The same day, an Egyptian truck driver was killed by Houthi shelling at the Yemeni-Saudi border. An airstrike killed a family of nine in a village near Sana'a.

On 12 April, members of the Takhya tribe launched an attack on a Saudi base after several of its members died in an airstrike. Weapons and ammunition were taken.

On 19 April, as Houthi leader Abdul-Malek El-Houthi accused SA of planning to invade Yemen, Asiri claimed that coalition forces had information regarding a planned Houthi incursion into SA. The same day, a Yemeni military commander in control of some 15,000 troops pledged his support for Hadi. His troops controlled an area spanning about half of the border with Saudi Arabia. It was the second time in a week news had emerged of Yemeni troops defecting to Hadi's side, after five brigades switched their allegiances on 15 April.

A Saudi border guard died on 19 April and two others were injured from gunfire and mortar shelling across the border.

Operation Restoring Hope

On 21 April, the Saudi Defence Ministry declared it was ending the campaign of airstrikes because it had "successfully eliminated the threat" to its security posed by Houthi ballistic and heavy weaponry. It announced the start of a new phase codenamed Operation Restoring Hope. In a televised address, Hadi said the end of airstrikes had come at his request and thanked the Arab coalition for their support.

Earlier that day King Salman ordered the Saudi National Guard to join the military operation. Air and naval strikes continued despite the announcement that Decisive Storm had ended.

Both the Omani and Iranian governments said they welcomed the end of airstrikes. On 22 April, Oman presented a seven-point peace deal to both parties. The proposed peace treaty entailed the reinstatement of Hadi's government and the evacuation of Houthi fighters from major cities.

On 8 May, Saudi Arabia announced a five-day ceasefire set to start on 12 May, following heavy pressure from the US. Later in the day, Saudi airplanes dropped leaflets in the Saada Governorate warning of airstrikes throughout the area. Houthi spokesman Mohamed al-Bukhaiti later told the BBC that the ceasefire had not been formally proposed and the Houthis would not respond until a plan was properly laid out. A spokesman for the Houthi-aligned military announced agreement to the ceasefire plan on 10 May, although he warned that a breach of the truce would prompt a military response.

On 13 May, humanitarian agencies said they were trying to get aid into Yemen after a five-day ceasefire took effect on Tuesday night. Ships carrying humanitarian supplies docked at the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Hudaydah as planes were standing by to help evacuate the injured. Meanwhile, King Salman doubled his country's Yemen aid pledge to $540 million, funds the UN said would "meet the life-saving and protection needs of 7.5 million people affected."

Airstrikes

Destroyed car in the south of Sanaa 12-6-2015

At the operation's announcement, coalition leadership stressed that their campaign would attempt a political solution and that they would continue the air and naval blockade. However, airstrikes resumed almost immediately following the coalition's announcement of the end of Operation Decisive Storm.

On 22 April airstrikes continued in Taiz, where an army base was hit shortly after Houthi fighters took it over, and Aden, where an airstrike targeted Houthi tanks moving into a contested district, among other locations, such as Al Hudaydah and Ibb. The Houthis continued to fight for territory, with a Houthi spokesman saying the group would be prepared for peace talks on the condition of "a complete halt of attacks". The previous round of UN-sponsored talks collapsed after Houthi rebels attacked Hadi's residence in Sana'a.

By 26 April, coalition forces were striking what they described as Houthi military targets in Sana'a and Aden and in other locations, notably in Sa'ada province near the Saudi border, nearly every night. On 26 April, after midnight, airstrikes struck Houthi and pro-Saleh positions and targets in and around Sana'a, Aden, and the Ma'rib and Ad Dali' governorates, backing up anti-Houthi fighters in the latter three locations, with more than 90 rebels reportedly killed. Coalition warships shelled fighters near Aden's commercial port. Saudi warplanes also targeted Houthis in the Sa'dah Governorate, while Saudi artillery fired on targets in the Hajjah Governorate along the border. The Saudi National Guard was deployed on the border.

On 28 April, Sana'a International Airport was bombed by Saudi F-15 fighters to prevent an Iranian plane belonging to Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) from landing, while it was approaching to land. The fighters had warned the plane to turn back, in an unsuccessful attempt to thwart its landing, but the Iranian pilot ignored the "illegal warnings", saying that, on the basis of international law, his plane did not need further permission to land. All runways, the control tower and a Bombardier CRJ700 airliner operated by Felix Airways (Al Saeeda) parked on the runway were destroyed. Saudi warplanes also struck the al-Dailami air base in northern Sana’a and destroyed the runway adjacent to the civil airport.

Saudi foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir has announced a five-day ceasefire in Yemen, 8 May 2015

Saudi jets also had prevented two other IRCS planes to enter Yemeni airspace.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Saudi chargé d'affaires, and the Iranian Parliament and the Iranian Red Crescent Society blasted Saudi Arabia for blocking Iranian humanitarian aid.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) "strongly urged" the coalition to stop targeting airports and seaports so that aid could reach all Yemenis.

ICRC and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said they were extremely concerned about damage to the airports at Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah.

Overnight on 29 April and 30 April, SA was reported to have airdropped arms to anti-Houthi fighters in Taiz. Later in the day, the Houthi's announced the death of 1 soldier due to airstrikes on the local police station in Al Bayda, Yemen.

On 30 April airstrikes hit five provinces. New airstrikes hit SIA, completely halting aid deliveries.

Intense airstrikes on the Al Amar area of the As Safra District killed 1 Yemeni soldier and injured 6 others. Source also reported that there were several airstrikes on farms and buildings in the Sahar District.

In early May Human Rights Watch accused Saudi Arabia of using cluster munitions. The Saudi military acknowledged using CBU-105 bombs, but it claimed they were only employed against armoured vehicles and not in population centers.

airstrike in Sana'a 11 May

On 6 May coalition airstrikes targeted the Police Training Center in the Dhamar Governorate, damaging nearby houses.

On 8 May Saudi airstrikes hit SIA a day after the civil aviation authority announced it would re-open the airport to receive aid.

Coalition airstrikes targeted the houses of Saleh in Sana'a in the early hours of May 10, eyewitnesses said. Khabar, a Yemeni news agency allied with Saleh said that the former president and his family were unharmed.

The Moroccan government said on 10 May that one of its General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft taking part in the air campaign went missing in action over Yemen, along with its pilot. The Houthis claimed responsibility, with Yemeni state TV broadcasting a report on the jet being downed by tribal militias over the Sa'dah Governorate and showing images of the wreckage.

On 18 May Saudi-led airstrikes reportedly resumed on Houthi positions after a humanitarian ceasefire expired late on Sunday. Three coalition airstrikes hit Sa'ada on Monday. Yemen's exiled Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin blamed the rebel group for the renewal of hostilities. Al-Arabiya said Saudi forces shelled Houthi outposts along Yemen's northern border after the fighters fired mortars at a Saudi army post in Najran province.

On May 23 OCHA reported that airstrikes continued in the northern governorates of Sa’ada (Baqim, Haydan, Saqayn and As Safra) and Hajjah (Abs, Hayran, Haradh, Huth, Kuhlan Affar and Sahar districts). The road connecting Haradh and Huth districts was reportedly hit. Airstrikes were also reported in Al Jawf Governorate (Bart Al Anan district).

On May 27 airstrikes hit a police station in the capital Sana'a, killing 45 officers. The Houthi-controlled Ministry of Health announced that in total, 96 people were killed.

On June 3 the residence of a Houthi leader in Ibb province was hit by an airstrike, according to eyewitnesses.

Destroyed house in the south of Sanaa, 12 June 2015

On 12 June Saudi jets bombed the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sana'a Old City, killing at least six people and destroying some of the ancient buildings. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova said in a statement that she is "profoundly distressed by the loss of human lives as well as by damage inflicted on one of the world’s oldest jewels of Islamic urban landscape". Locals also condemned the action.

On October 26, 2015 Doctors Without Borders reported that a coalition airstrike had completely destroyed the Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Saada province's Haydan governate, including the operating room. When the first strike hit an unused part of the hospital the facility was completely evacuated, so there were no direct casualties. However, a spokesman for the coalition forces, Brig-Gen Ahmed al-Asiri, disclaimed responsibility for the attack. "With the hospital destroyed, at least 200,000 people now have no access to lifesaving medical care", MSF said. "This attack is another illustration of a complete disregard for civilians in Yemen, where bombings have become a daily routine," said Hassan Boucenine, MSF head of mission in Yemen. The GPS coordinates of the only hospital in the Haydan district were regularly shared with the Saudi-led coalition, and the roof of the facility was clearly identified with the MSF logo, he said. The UNICEF said the hospital in Saada was the 39th health center hit in Yemen since March, when the violence escalated. "More children in Yemen may well die from a lack of medicines and healthcare than from bullets and bombs," its executive director Anthony Lake said in a statement. He added that critical shortages of fuel, medication, electricity and water could mean many more will close. Amnesty International said the strike may amount to a war crime and called for an independent investigation.

Cross-border fighting

On 25 April MSF said that the town of Haradh, close to the border with Saudi Arabia, had been left a "ghost town" and that Saudi shelling killed 11 and injured more than 70.

On 26 April the Saudi government announced that the first National Guard units had arrived in Najran, in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border. The same day, Al-Hamdan tribe attacked Saudi positions in Najran and reported several Saudi casualties with the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry confirming 1 dead and 2 injured. Al-Hamdan tribesmen later retreated due to heavy bombings in the area.

On 30 April one Saudi border guard had also been killed by mortar fire along the border with Yemen. This death brought the total number of Saudi deaths reported by the Kingdom to 11. Later in the day, apparent Houthi forces attacked a Saudi military post in the Najran Region killing 3 soldiers, increasing the death toll to 14.

In early May several dozen fighters arrived on the side of anti-Houthi defenders of Aden. The force was speculated to be advance ground troops from the coalition, but Hadi's foreign minister said they were Yemeni special forces troops retrained in Gulf Arab countries and redeployed to assist anti-Houthi militants.

On 4 May Senegal's foreign minister announced that Senegal would be sending 2,100 troops to join the coalition.

On 5 May pro-Houthi fighters reportedly captured 5 Saudi soldiers and fired mortar shells at the Saudi city of Najran and several other areas in the Saudi region of Jizan, killing at least 3 people. Yemeni tribal sources stated that only 2 Saudi civilians were killed, while the Saudi Ministry of Interior stated that 3 people were killed in Najran, although it did not clarify whether they were civilians.

On 6 May the state-owned Saudi Press Agency said at least 7 more Saudis were killed as a result of two separate Houthi attacks on Najran and Jizan, bringing the total Saudi civilian death toll to at least 10. Nobody claimed responsibility for the attacks.

On 7 May the Houthi rebels reportedly brought down a Saudi Apache attack helicopter in Yemen, and killed and captured Saudi soldiers after taking over 4 Saudi military outposts in Jizan. The state Saudi Press Agency initially confirmed that the loss of an Apache attack helicopter along with its two pilots, stating they died "while performing their duty to protect the borders of the homeland". The next day, AP confirmed the helicopter was shot down.

Houthi fighters again struck Jizan and Najran with rockets and mortars on 11 May, in response to Saudi bombardment of the Sa'dah and Hajjah governorates. Saudi Arabia said the shelling killed one and injured three others, including two expatriates.

On 11 May Saudi Arabia deployed a tank "strike force" to its southern border hours after Houthis fired 150 Katyusha rockets and mortars on Najran and Jizan. Hadath TV broadcast footage purportedly showing columns of military trucks carrying tanks heading towards the Kingdom's southern frontier.

On 21 May Houthi rebels killed at least 18 Saudi soldiers in an attack along the border.

On 27 May the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry announced that 2 soldiers had been killed in a missile attack in the Asir region.

On 6 June Houthi's fired a SCUD missile into SA, targeting the King Khaled air base. SA announced that it had shot down the missile.

On the night of 8 July, an Arab Coalition bombing killed by error over 70 soldiers loyal to president Hadi. Another 200 were injured at the Hadramut province.

On 14 October, A Scud missile attack was launched by Houthis towards a base in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia.

Ground combat

See also: Battle of Aden

On 3 April, CNN cited an unnamed Saudi source who claimed that Saudi special forces were on the ground in and around Aden, "coordinating and guiding" the resistance. The Saudi government officially declined to comment on whether it had special forces, with Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir saying on 2 April that Saudi Arabia had no "formal" troops in Aden.

On 4 September a Houthi OTR-21 Tochka missile hit an ammunition dump at a military base in Safer in Ma'rib Governorate killing 52 UAE, 10 Saudi and 5 Bahraini soldiers. The Safer base was being built up by coalition forces for a push against Sanaa. "It was the deadliest single attack on coalition soldiers since the start of its operation against Houthi rebels in March" Asseri said. The attacked was the highest casualty loss in the history of the UAE military. Qatar deployed 1000 troops to Yemen after the incident.

By 8 September it was reported that the Saudi-led forces deployed in Yemen exceeded 10,000 troops and included 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.

Naval involvement

SA and its coalition partners maintained a sea blockade.

A "military source and pro-Hadi militiamen" told the AFP on 26 April that coalition warships were participating in the shelling of Aden.

On 30 April, the Iranian navy announced it had deployed two destroyers to the Gulf of Aden to "ensure the safety of commercial ships of our country against the threat of pirates", according to a rear admiral. According to the same source, the deployment was scheduled to last until mid-June. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, told state-run Tasnim News Agency that "others will not be allowed to put our shared security at risk with military adventures".

Alleged Iranian involvement

The coalition accused Iran of militarily and financially supporting the Houthis. On 9 April U.S. secretary of state John Kerry said there were "obviously supplies that have been coming from Iran", with "a number of flights every single week that have been flying in", and warned Iran to stop its alleged support of the Houthis. Iran denied these claims.

Anti-Houthi fighters defending Aden claimed they captured two officers in the Iranian Quds Force on 11 April, who had purportedly been serving as military advisers to the Houthi militias in the city. However, this claim was not repeated. Iran denied presence of any Iranian military force.

According to Michael Horton, an expert on Yemeni affairs, the notion that the Houthis are an Iranian proxy is "nonsense".

According to the AFP, a confidential report presented to the Security Council's Iran sanctions committee in April 2015 claimed that Iran had been shipping weapons to the Houthi rebels since between 2009 and 2013. The panel further noted the absence of reports of any weapon shipments since 2013.

On May 2, Abdollahian said that Tehran would not let regional powers jeopardize its security interests.

According to American officials, Iran discouraged Houthi rebels from taking over the Yemeni capital in late 2014, casting further doubt on claims that the rebels were fighting a proxy war on behalf of Iran. A spokeswoman for the US National Security Council said that it remained the council's assessment that "Iran does not exert command and control over the Houthis in Yemen."

On May 6 Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, "The Americans shamelessly support the killing of the Yemeni population, but they accuse Iran of interfering in that country and of sending weapons when Iran only seeks to provide medical and food aid".

On 26 September 2015, an Iranian fishing boat loaded with weapons, including rockets and anti-tank shells, is intercepted and seized in the Arabian Sea, 150 miles southeast of the Omani Port of Salalah, by Arab coalition forces.

US involvement

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter with Saudi Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, Pentagon, 13 May 2015

US supported the intervention by "providing intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, advisory and logistical support to the military intervention," according to the state department. In April 2015, the US expanded its intelligence-sharing with the coalition. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken said: "As part of that effort, we have expedited weapons deliveries, we have increased our intelligence sharing, and we have established a joint coordination planning cell in the Saudi operation centre." Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that evidence shows that SA had been using U.S.-supplied cluster bombs outlawed in much of the world. According to Anthony Cordesman, the US government does not want "the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb strait" to be threatened.

Many in US SOCOM reportedly favor Houthis, as they have been effective at combatting al-Qaeda and recently ISIL, "something that hundreds of U.S. drone strikes and large numbers of advisers to Yemen’s military had failed to accomplish". According to a senior CENTCOM commander, "the reason the Saudis didn’t inform us of their plans is because they knew we would have told them exactly what we think — that it was a bad idea." As Yemen expert Michael Horton puts it, the US had been "Iran's air force in Iraq", and "al-Qaeda's air force in Yemen". Acoording to an Al Jazeera report, one reason for US support may be the diplomatic logic of tamping down SA's opposition to the Iranian nuclear deal by backing them. Another is the view among some US military commanders that countering Iran took strategic priority over combating Al-Qaeda and ISIL.

Senator John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised the intervention, saying, "The prospect of radical groups like Iranian-backed Houthi militants" was "more than [U.S. Arab allies] could withstand."

On June 30 an HRW report stated that US-made bombs were being used in attacks indiscriminately targeting civilians and violating the laws of war. The report photographed “the remnants of an MK-83 air-dropped 1,000-pound bomb made in the U.S.”

International law

According to Farea Al-Muslim, direct war crimes were committed during the conflict; for example, an IDP camp was hit by a Saudi airstrike, while Houthis sometimes prevented aid workers from giving aid. The UN and human rights groups discussed the possibility that war crimes may have been committed by Saudi Arabia during the air campaign.

HRW wrote that some airstrikes were in apparent violation of the laws of war, such as the March 30 attack on a displaced-persons camp in Mazraq that struck a medical facility and a market. HRW also said that the Houthis had unlawfully deployed forces in densely populated areas and used excessive force against peaceful protesters and journalists. In addition, HRW said that by providing logistical and intelligence assistance to coalition forces, the US may have become a party to the conflict, creating obligations under the laws of war. Other incidents noted by HRW that had been deemed as indiscriminate or disproportionate or "in violation of the laws of war" were: a strike on a dairy factory outside the Red Sea port of Hodaida (31 civilian deaths); a strike that destroyed a humanitarian aid warehouse of the international aid organization Oxfam in Saada; and the coalition’s blockade that kept out fuel. Internationally outlawed cluster bombs were used by the coalition and wounded civilians, based on an HRW report.

Amnesty International (AI) said that airstrikes hit five densely populated areas (Sa'dah, Sana'a, Hodeidah, Hajjah and Ibb), and "raise concerns about compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law." It added that, according to its research, at least 139 people, including at least 97 civilians (of whom 33 were children), were killed during these strikes, and 460 individuals were injured (of whom at least 157 are civilians).

U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Johannes van der Klaauw, said that coalition airstrikes on Sa'ada city, where many civilians were trapped, were in breach of international humanitarian law, despite calls for civilians to leave the area. Scores of civilians were reportedly killed and thousands forced to flee after the coalition declared the entire governorate a military target, he said. Van der Klaauw also said that coalition strikes had targeted schools and hospitals, in breach of international law.

A group of 17 aid agencies condemned the growing intensity of airstrikes in the north on 8 and 9 May 2015. Save the Children's Country Director in Yemen, Edward Santiago, said that the "indiscriminate attacks after the dropping of leaflets urging civilians to leave Sa'ada raises concerns about the possible pattern being established in breach of International Humanitarian Law."

On June 30, HRW reported that several airstrikes were in clear violation of international law. The report confirmed 59 (including 14 women and 35 children) civilian deaths in Saada between April 6 and May 11. The report also highlighted attacks on 6 civilian homes as well as five markets that were deliberate attacks.

On October 27, Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in north Yemen was bombed by the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition. Attacks on medical facilities are forbidden under international humanitarian law.

Airstrike casualties

Date	Place	Deaths	Source
26 March–7 April	Sana'a	88 civilians	U.N.
26 March–23 April	Sana'a	209 people	U.N.
30 March	Mazraq	29 civilians	U.N.
31 March	Saada	19 civilians	U.N.
31 March	Ibb province	14 people (11 civilians)	Local sources
31 March	Wadi Saan	10 civilians	Local sources
31 March	Hodeida governorate	31 civilians	HRW
7 April	Maitam	3 civilians	Local sources
12 April	Taiz	8 civilians	Local sources
14 April	Taiz	10 civilians	Amnesty International
17 April	Yarim, south of Sanaa	7 civilians	Local sources
17 April	Sanaa	8 civilians
18 April	Saada	1 civilian	Local sources
19–29 April	Haradh	15 people	U.N.
20 April	Fajj Atan military base, Sana'a	90 people	ICRC
21 April–5 May	Aden	22 civilians	U.N.
21 April	Ibb province	20 people	Local sources
21 April	Haradh	9 people	Local sources
26 April	Al-Thawra hospital, Taiz	19 people	U.N.
27 April	Aden	2 civilians	Local sources
27–28 April	Bajel District	30 people	U.N.
28 April	between Al-Qaras and Basatir	40 civilians	Local sources
1 May	Sana'a	17 civilians	U.N.
6 May	Sadaa	34 people including at least 27 civilians	U.N. and HRW
6 May	Sanaa	20 people	U.N.
6 May	Kitaf	7 civilians	Local sources
6 May	Dhamar governorate	11 people	Local sources
9 May	Saada	4 civilians	U.N.
11 May	Sanaa	5 people	Agence France-Presse
14 May	Saada	9 people	Associated Press
21 May	Hajjah Governorate	5 civilians	U.N
26 May	Saada	7 civilians	Local Sources
26 May	taiz	8 civilians	Amnesty International
27 May	Saada and Yemen	80–100 people	Reuters
4 June	Across Yemen	58 people	Local Sources
6 June	Across Yemen	38 people	Local Sources
7 June	Sanaa	44 people	Local Sources
12 June	Old City of Sanaa	6 people	Local sources
13 June	Bait Me'yad, Sanaa	9 people	Medical sources
16 June	Taiz	5 civilians	Amnesty International
19 June	Across Yemen	10 civilians	Local sources
21 June	Across Yemen	15 people	BBC
30 June	Saada	2 people	Local sources
30 June	Taiz	4 civilians	Amnesty International
2 July	Sanaa	8 people	News Agency
3 July	Across Yemen	16 people	Local sources
6 July	Across Yemen	100 people	Local and Medical sources
7 July	Taiz	11 Lahj	Amnesty International
9 July	Taiz	11 Lahj	Amnesty International
25 July	Mokha, Yemen	120 Civilians	Associated Press
17 August	Jibla and Al-Jawf	17 civilians	Local officials
19 August	Sanaa	15 civilians	UN
21 August	Taiz	65 civilians	Doctors Without Borders
28 August	Taiz	10 People	reuters
30 August	Hajjah and Sanaa	40 civilians	Local sources
5 September	Sanaa	27 civilians	Reuters
6 September	Al Jawf Governorate	30 people	Reuters
12 September	Across Yemen	16 civilians	Reuters
14 September	Sanaa, Yemen	10 People	Reuters4
20 September	saada	20 People	Reuters
21 September	hajjah and sanaa	50 People	Reuters
27 September	Hajjah	30 civilians	Local Sources
28 September	Al-Wahijah, Taiz	131 civilians	Medics
8 October	Dhamar, Yemen	25 - 50 People	Reuters

A Houthi spokesman stated on 28 April that the airstrikes had killed 200 members of all pro-Houthi forces since the campaign started. In addition, UNICEF reported on 24 April that the strikes had killed 64 children.

On 25 April, the Yemeni Freedom House Foundation announced that 3,512 people had been killed by the airstrikes since they started.

Between 26 March and 21 April, The New York Times confirmed 18 airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties.

According to the United Nations, between 26 March and 10 May 2015, the conflict, killed at least 828 Yemeni civilians, including 91 women and 182 children. 182 were killed between 4 and 10 May alone, with most of those due to the airstrikes.

On 6 May HRW reported that an airstrike struck a residential home in Saada, killing 27 members of one family, including 17 children and on 26 May, 7 more members of the same family were killed in another airstrike.

On 27 May nearly 100 people were killed due to airstrikes hitting Sanaa, Sa'da and Hodeida in the largest ever one-day death toll throughout the conflict.

On 28 June a coalition airstrike hit and damaged the UN compound in Aden, severely damaging the UNDP building and injuring a guard.

On 30 June HRW released a report stating that coalition airstrikes on the northern Yemeni city of Saada, a Houthi rebel stronghold, had killed dozens of civilians and wrecked homes and markets. The group said it had documented a dozen airstrikes on Saada that destroyed or damaged civilian homes, five markets, a school and a petrol station although there was no evidence of military use. "Saada City's streets are littered with bomb craters, destroyed buildings, and other evidence of coalition airstrikes," HRW's Sarah Leah Whitson said in the report and later added. "These attacks appear to be serious laws-of-war violations that need to be properly investigated.”

On 6 July airstrikes killed over 100 people including more than 30 civilians in Al Joob, Amran. The state-run news agency said that 40 had been killed in a raid on a livestock market in al-Foyoush. Local residents also reported 30 deaths in a raid they said apparently targeted a Houthi checkpoint on the main road between Aden and Lahj. They said 10 of the dead were Houthi fighters. MSF head of mission in Yemen said "It is unacceptable that airstrikes take place in highly concentrated civilian areas where people are gathering and going about their daily lives, especially at a time such as Ramadan."

On 25 July airstrikes killed over 120 civilians in the town of Mokha, marking the deadliest strike yet against civilians. The airstrikes hit workers' housing for a power plant in Mokha, flattening some of the buildings, the officials said. A fire erupted in the area, charring many of the corpses. "It just shows what is the trend now of the airstrikes from the coalition," said Hassan Boucenine of the Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders. "Now, it's a house, it's a market, it's anything." He added that many of the workers had families visiting for the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Mokha, populated largely by fisherman, had a reputation as one of the safest places in the country embroiled in war, said Boucenine.

On 18 August AI reported that it had confirmed 141 civilian deaths from eight airstrikes.

On 11 September, UN Human Rights Commissioner said that at least 941 civilians were killed as a direct result of airstrikes.

Infrastructure damage and humanitarian situation

On 26 March, Interior Ministry officials linked to Ansar Allah documented that 23 civilians had been killed and 24 wounded. Among the dead were 5 children, ages 2 to 13, 6 women and an elderly man. The wounded included 12 children, ages 3 to 8, and 2 women due to airstrike against Sana'a particularly in Bani Hawat, a predominantly Houthi neighborhood near Sanaa’s airports and al-Nasr, near the presidential palace. HRW documented the deaths of 11 civilians, including 2 women and 2 children, other than those provided by the Yemeni officials along with 14 more wounded, including 3 children and 1 woman. According to AI, that bombing destroyed at least 14 homes in Bani Hawat.

The conflict is exacerbating Yemen's water scarcity, Sanaa, 21 May 2015

On 31 March, OCHA reported that 13 of 22 Governorates were affected and highlighted infrastructure effects that detailed coalition bombing of a refugee camp that killed 29 and injured 40. Fuel shortages in the south threatened water access to citizens and in Lahj, electricity and water services had not been functioning for several days. Later that day, AI reported that at least six civilians including four children were burned to death as a result of an airstrike. It reported that two fuel stations were destroyed. In al-Kadima area in al-Kita, several passengers were killed in a car that had stopped to refuel and a worker was injured. The third strike, apparently aimed at a passing fuel tanker, set fire to at least three civilian homes. AI then stated that "it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition is turning a blind eye to civilian deaths and suffering caused by its military intervention."

On 17 April, OCHA reported on the increasing deterioration of the humanitarian situation, reporting airstrikes hitting in Saada City a water tank, the electricity station, a petrol station, a plastics processing factory, a shopping centre and a housing complex. Several days earlier, airstrikes had hit private homes, the post office, a community centre, government offices, markets and vehicles. Local partners estimated about 50 dead within the past week. In Sana'a residential neighborhoods near Assir, Ayban and Faj Attan were affected due to their proximit to military camps. In Amran, airstrikes hit a petrol station, an educational institute and a bridge. According to local reports, a local water corporation in Hajjah (Abbs District) was hit. The report also stated that civilian casualties were under-reported as families without access to hospitals bury their members at home.

On 18 April, an airstrike in Saada hit an Oxfam warehouse, damaging humanitarian supplies and killing at least one civilian. Aid groups widely condemned the strike.

On 20 April coalition airstrikes hit the Fajj Atan military base, causing a large explosion that killed 38 civilians and injured over 500. The airstrike also targeted the office of Yemen Today, a TV network owned by Ali Abdullah Saleh, killing three and injuring other workers. An eye witness reported that emergency rooms were overwhelmed. The head of the ICRC in Yemen later clarified that 90 people had died during this attack.

On 21 April the BBC reported a warning from the UN about worsening health services and a dire need for medicines.

On 24 April UNICEF released a report stating that since the start of the military intervention, 115 children had been killed, with at least 64 from aerial bombardment.

Apartment building destroyed by a strike in Sanaa on 5 September 2015

According to OCHA's fifth report, released on 26 April, humanitarian operations would come to a complete halt within two weeks and hospitals in both Sanaa and Aden would close completely due to the lack of fuel. The lack of fuel affected water supplies. Markets in affected governorates are not able to provide food, with wheat grain and flour prices rising by 42% and 44%, respectively. The healthcare system faced an imminent collapse with hospitals struggling to operate due to lack of medicines and supplies. Essential medicine prices increased by 300%.

Casualties from 19 March to 22 April reached 1,080 (28 children and 48 women) and 4,352 wounded (80 children and 143 women). According to the WFP, 12 million people were food insecure, a 13% rise.

On 29 April OCHA reported that airstrikes hit SIA on April 28, damaging the runway and hampering aid deliveries. Airstrikes were also reported at Al Hudayda Airport and Saada. Widespread internet and phone disruptions were reported in several governorates due to the lack of fuel and electricity. On 25 April, the Yemen Public Telecommunications Corporation warned that unless the fuel crisis was resolved, telecommunication services (mobile phones, internet, and land lines) would shut down within a week. The disruption in communication was affecting information flow on humanitarian needs and operations. On 29 April, Haradh was heavily bombarded, including areas near the main hospital. Food distribution and aid would reportedly stop within a week if additional fuel could not be obtained. As of 29 April the Al Hudaydah Governorate ran out of fuel and aid operations could not be completed.

On 30 April OCHA's Flash Update 22 reported that airstrikes hit the only main roads that connect the Sana'a Governorate with Ibb. It also indicated that over 3,410 people from Yemen had arrived in Somalia since the fighting escalated, with 2,285 arrivals registered in Puntland and 1,125 registered in the Somaliland. A further 8,900 migrants were registered in Djibouti, 4,700 of whom were third country nationals.

On 4 May coalition airstrikes hit SIA, destroying a cargo ship and other planes used to transport food and supplies. OCHA reported that several airstrikes hit the Al Hudayda airport and surrounding areas in Al Hudayda City. In Aden, the districts of Craiter and Al-Muala were without electricity, water and telecommunication for over a week according to residents.

On 5 May, in order to send humanitarian aid, van der Klaauw haggled with the coalition to stop bombing SIA. He emphasized the effects on persons with disabilities stating that over 3,000,000 people with disabilities could not meet their basic needs. The conflict forced more than 300 centres to close. He added that they were especially concerned about an airstrike that targeted a military field hospital.

On 6 May, the OCHA reported lack of fuel to support humanitarian operations beyond one week, with fuel and food prices continuing to increase. The World Food Programme declared that shortages of fuel has changed to a serious threat for hospitals and food supplies. Edward Santiago, country director for Save the Children, said in statement a short time ceasefire is not enough to allow for humanitarian supplies.

On 7 May, trade sources stated that merchant ships had been delayed weeks Yemen and in one case, following inspection and approval, a food supply ship was denied access. The food crisis increased to include over 20 million people (80% of the population) going hungry. Airstrikes destroyed a mine factory and a communications center. Local sources reported that 13 villagers were killed due to shelling near the border.

On 18 May, HRW documented airstrikes that hit homes and markets and killed and wounded civilians. HRW documented the bombing of four markets.

On 21 May, OCHA reported airstrikes that hit two farms adjacent to a humanitarian facility in Hajjah Governorate and resulted in civilian casualties. A warehouse containing humanitarian supplies was damaged in another strike. In Sa’adah City, satellite imagery analysis identified widespread damage to infrastructure with 1,171 structures affected, damaged or destroyed. The analysis showed that as of 17 May, 35 impact craters existed within the city, mostly along the runway of Sa’ada airport. Similar imagery of Aden identified 642 affected structures, including 327 destroyed. Local partners reported that 674 schools were forced to close in Sana'a, affecting 551,000 students.

On 22 May OCHA reported that over 545,000 people were displaced between 26 March and 7 May. Fuel prices increased by over 500% and food supplies by 80% since March 26. The continued restrictions on the arrival of goods via air and sea ports, and insecurity on roads, restricted the delivery of essential supplies. In Sana’a, security concerns due to airstrikes prevented delivery of food assistance.

On 21 May, five Ethiopian migrants were killed and two others injured in an airstrike that hit open space 500 metres from an IOM-managed Migrant Response Centre. With continued conflict and import restrictions, Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes were likely in the coming month. In six governorates, reports from OCHA partners show that basic food items are no longer available (Aden, Abyan, Al Dhale’e, Al Bayda, Lahj, Sa’ada).

On 3 June, The Operations Room of the Ministry of Health in Sana’a was damaged It manages emergency operations nationwide. The OCHA reported that the number of internally displaced persons had surpassed one million.

On 5 June, the Washington Post reported that several Yemeni cultural and heritage strikes had been repeatedly targeted by Saudi airstrikes. Reports stated that Al-Qahira Castle, the 1,200-year-old al-Hadi Mosque and Dhamar Museum with over 12,500 artifacts were destroyed and the Great Dam of Marib was hit.

On 14 June, OCHA reported a large outbreak of Dengue fever that killed over 113 people and infected over 4,000. Patients could not be treated due to lack of water in affected areas. OCHA was also investigating reports of a Measles outbreak. Health officials considered the breakdown in health services, including decrease in immunization coverage, closure of health facilities and difficulty in accessing health services as possible contributing factors.

On 17 June, an OCHA report highlighted that food security had continued to worsen, with 19 out of 22 governorates now classified ‘crisis’ or ‘emergency’. Half the population was 'food insecure' and nearly a quarter 'severely food insecure. A joint analysis of household food security by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) WFP and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in Yemen (MoPIC) found that Yemen was sliding into catastrophe. More than six million Yemenis were then in a Phase 4 Emergency, and nearly 6.9 million people are in a Phase 3 Crisis: These figures indicate that Yemen was approaching a complete breakdown in food security and health.

On 1 July, the UN announced that Yemen was at the highest level of humanitarian disaster with over 80% of the population needing help. UN agencies agreed to classify Yemen as a level 3 emergency as the UN Envoy for Yemen stated that Yemen is one step away from famine.

On 26 July, the OCHA announced that airstrikes hit the residential complex of the Al Mukha Power Station in Al Mukha Distrcit, Taiz Governate with health facilities reporting 55 deaths and 96 injuries and media reports as high as 120, all civilians.

On 27 August, the OCHA announced that airstrikes targeting that Al-Hudaydah port facilities late on 17 August and early 18 August have brought the port activities to a near halt and that the port is empty of all vessels and has remained non-operational. A UN-chartered aid vessel carrying 2,230 MT of mixed food commodities left the port and was rerouted to Djibouti.

Responses

In Yemen

Opposition

Following the call by the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, tens of thousands Yemenis of various socioeconomic backgrounds took to the streets of the rebel-controlled capital, Sana'a, to voice their anger at the Saudi intervention. In a televised address, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi heaped scorn on Saudi Arabia for their “unjustified attack on Yemeni people.” He stressed that the attacks uncovered the “tyrannical nature” of Saudi regime. “This unjustified aggression shows the hostility and arrogance of this regime. The attacks are reflecting the inhumanity of the aggressor.” On the same day, thousands of other Yemenis marched inTaiz to show support to Hadi and Saudi Arabia.

On April 21, representatives of 19 Yemeni political parties and associations rejected UN Resolution 2216, stating that it encouraged terrorist expansion, intervened in Yemen's sovereign affairs, violated Yemen's right of self-defence and emphasized the associations' support of the Yemeni Army.

On 23 April, a spokesman for the Houthis said UN-sponsored peace talks should continue, but only following "a complete halt of attacks" by the coalition.

In a televised address on 24 April, Saleh called on the Houthis and other armed groups to withdraw from the territory they had seized and participate in UN-sponsored peace talks, in exchange for an end to the air campaign. Exiled Yemeni Foreign Minister rejected the peace proposal saying that Saleh had no role in the talks.

On April 26, the General Authority for Archeology and Museums in Yemen condemned attacks targeting historical sites. The statement highlighted an attack that completey destroyed an ancient fortress in the Damt District of the Ad Dali' Governorate.

On April 26, several Yemeni political parties issued a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting that he continue the peace talks. The letter emphasized that Yemen was still under attack by air, land and sea and that the existing blockade was increasing the humanitarian crisis and that education had been denied for 3 million students due to the "random attacks".

On May 2, the Yemenis Forum Of Persons With Disability stated that 300 centres and organizations had been forced to stop operations following the intervention. The organization denounced the air and sea blockade that "increased the suffering of the disabled greatly".

On 2 May, Hussein al-Ezzi, the Houthi head of foreign relations, sent a letter addressed to Secretary General Ban seeking an end to the "unjustified Saudi aggression". He asked the UN to seek an end to what Houthis described as blatant aggression against the country.

On 7 May, 17 humanitarian agencies stressed that life-saving aid would run out in a week and emphasized the need to remove the existing blockade. The International Non-Government Organizations Forum in Yemen appealed for allowing basic materials to enter the country immediately.

On May 10, Houthi military spokesman Sharaf Luqman welcomed the Russian initiative, which advocated a suspension of military operations and also lifting the blockade.

Support

Anti-Houthi groups, especially Sunnis, while supporting the intervention did not wish for the return to power of Hadi, since they viewed him as the man "who ceded control of the capital without a fight six months ago".

On 3 April, the Al-Islah party, the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, declared its support for the campaign. Supporters of the party reportedly suffered consequences, including kidnappings and raids, as a result of this declaration.

On 26 April, the foreign minister in Hadi's government, Riad Yaseen, rejected Saleh's calls for UN-sponsored peace talks on the grounds that airstrikes against the Houthi rebels against his government were ongoing.

Saudi Arabia

Opposition

On 5 April a firefight broke out between anti-government Shiite rioters and security forces in Saudi Arabia's Shiite-majority Eastern Province, with one police officer killed and three others injured. The firefight broke out after calls in the Eastern Province to protest against the military intervention.

On 29 April, King Salman dismissed his appointed crown prince, Muqrin of Saudi Arabia. Some regional political analysts speculated that the decision was precipitated by Muqrin's alleged opposition to the intervention. Salman appointed Muhammad bin Nayef, who publicly announced his support of the operation, to replace Muqrin.

Support

On the 21st of April, Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal reportedly offered 100 Bentleys to participating pilots. The announcement was met with substantial criticism.

Among the general populace, the war was very popular.

Other coalition countries

Bahrain

On 3 April Bahrainis protested against the war on Yemen. A prominent Bahraini opposition politician, Fadhel Abbas, was reportedly arrested by Bahraini authorities for condemning the bombing as “flagrant aggression”.

Egypt

Supporters of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood demonstrated against Egypt's military intervention.

Kuwait

Shiite parliament member Abdul Hamid Dashti reportedly criticized the war and described it as an "act of aggression". A prominent Shiite lawyer, Khalid Al Shatti, was summoned by Kuwaiti authorities for his criticism of the Saudi government.

On April 28, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah stated that the only solution to the Yemen crisis was political.

International

Main article: International reactions to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015–present)

The Arab League and United States voiced support for the intervention, but the European Union, Russia and the United Nations criticised it. The United Kingdom supported the intervention, re-supplying the Saudi military.

Iran condemned intervention as "US-backed aggression." Iran's U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said that "those who violate international law, including international humanitarian law, should be held accountable for their acts and there should be no room for impunity."

Asian countries including China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan, moved within days to evacuate their citizens from Yemen. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy evacuated citizens from 10 different countries (such as Poland), as well as its own nationals, from Aden by frigate on 2 April. Indian Armed Forces carried out a massive rescue operation codenamed Operation Raahat that evacuated more than 5,600 people including 4,640 Indians & 960 nationals of 41 countries. The Federal Government of Somalia began formally evacuating its citizens in early May.

On 4 April, the ICRC called for a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire after the coalition blocked three aid shipments to Yemen. Russia also called for "humanitarian pauses" in the coalition bombing campaign, bringing the idea before the United Nations Security Council in a 4 April emergency meeting. However, Saudi Arabia's UN ambassador raised questions over whether humanitarian pauses are the best way of delivering humanitarian assistance.

On 7 April, China renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire.

On 10 April, Julien Harneis (UNICEF Yemen representative) said to CNN, "The humanitarian situation is worsening all the time, with increasingly limited access to water, basic sanitation and critical health services,". As a result, UNICEF sent antibiotics, bandages, syringes, IV sets and other medical supplies.

On 10 April, the Pakistani Parliament declined a Saudi Arabian request to join the coalition. The Parliament clarified the wish to maintain a neutral diplomatic stance.

On 14 April, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution placing an arms embargo on three top Houthi leaders, including Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, as well as Saleh and his son, Ahmed Ali Saleh. The embargo also covered their supporters and called on the Houthis to retreat and lay down arms. Other provisions in the resolution include appointing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to "facilitate" the provision of aid, including humanitarian pauses. It also called on all involved parties to participate in peace talks in Riyadh. The resolution was sponsored by the Gulf States and Jordan, which held a rotating Security Council seat.

On 16 April, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, resigned, citing his failure to negotiate an end to the conflicts. Benomar brokered the post-Arab Spring transition in which Hadi replaced Saleh. Following the resignation, Secretary General Ban called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of aid.

On 16 April a group of US and UK-based Yemen scholars wrote an open letter, stating that the operation was illegal under international law and calling for the UN to enforce an immediate ceasefire.

On 17 April, Iran submitted to the United Nations a four-point peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The proposal called for an immediate ceasefire and end of all foreign military attacks, humanitarian assistance, a resumption of broad national dialogue and "establishment of an inclusive national unity government. Exiled Yemeni officials later rejected the deal, calling it a political manouvere. Russia confirmed its backing of the proposal and that it would use its full capacity to further the plan.

The UN on 17 April called for 274 million US dollars in humanitarian aid to meet the needs of 7.5 million people over three months. The same day, Saudi Arabia pledged to fund the entire appeal. However, the UN agency responsible opted to keep the appeal open, stating that it "urged other donors to provide more support to meet increasing needs across the country."

On 18 April the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese president Xi Jinping had called King Salman and urged him to increase efforts to find a political solution to end the crisis.

On April 19, international aid agency Oxfam condemned SA over airstrikes it said hit one of its warehouses containing humanitarian supplies in Saada.

On 21 April the Iranian Foreign Minister announced that he was hopeful that a ceasefire would be under effect later in the day.

Mauritanian diplomate Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was nominated by Secretary General Ban to replace Jamal Benomar, who resigned on 16 April. His nomination was confirmed on 25 April.

On 24 April the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced it would hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the situation.

Aid groups came out against the air campaign: AI said some of the coalition's airstrikes "appear to have failed to take necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects". Reporters without Borders condemned a strike in Sanaa on 20 April that caused the deaths of four employees of Al-Yemen Al-Youm TV and injured ten others; it also condemned attacks on journalists by pro-Houthi forces.

On 24 April thousands of Nigerians demonstrated in Kano following Friday prayers to denounce the Saudi attacks.

On 25 April professor Sami Ramadani of London Metropolitan University claimed Hadi was violating Yemen's Constitution. According to the constitution, any leader, president or commander that requested military foreign intervention was to be tried for treason. However, under article 35, "No organization, individual, group, political party or organization may establish forces or paramilitary groups for whatever purpose or under any name". Additionally, under article 68, "no other [non-state-established] armed force may enter the House premises or take positions near its entrances except at the request of the Speaker."

On 27 April Benomar stated in a press conference that Yemeni political parties had been close to agreeing on a final peace deal before the airstrikes started.

On 29 April peace activist group "Womens Power to Stop War" demanded an end to the conflict and sent letters to over 10 embassies and representatives, denouncing the conflict following a plea by Yemeni activist Amal Basha.

By the end of April, the US government was gradually pressuring Saudi Arabia to end the airstrikes, with National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice saying, “There is no military solution to the crisis in Yemen, and the humanitarian situation will only worsen if the conflict continues.” Also on 29 April, US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini had discussed the situation, with particular emphasis on pushing forward political negotiations.

On 30 April the ICRC and the WFP said aid delivery had become difficult to impossible, with WFP suspending operations, partially due to ongoing fighting between all sides and partially due to air transport restrictions and the destruction of Sanaa airport.

On 1 May the UNSC held an emergency meeting called by Russia to discuss the crisis. The council did not agree on a Russian-drafted statement demanding an immediate ceasefire in what the Russian delegate called "amazing indecision." Diplomats said they rejected the Russian statement as they “needed time to consider the wording.” A US official said the US was instead working directly with the Saudi government to facilitate aid delivery and condemned Houthi and pro-Saleh fighters for failing to abide by an earlier UN resolution calling on them to end fighting. An unnamed diplomat told AFP that diplomats had agreed in principle with the Russian resolution, but failed to agree on the exact wording.

On 2 May Kerry stated that the US, the UN, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were working on starting peace negotiations between the government and the rebels.

On 3 May a HRW report said SA had used US-supplied cluster munitions on at least two occasions. In an earlier statement, SA had denied that the coalition was using cluster bombs, according to the group.

On 4 May the UN called on the coalition to stop attacking Sanaa Airport to allow delivery of humanitarian aid. ICRC head in Yemen, Cedric Schweizer, said "The harsh restrictions on importations imposed by the Coalition for the past six weeks, added to the extreme fuel shortages, have made the daily lives of Yemenis unbearable, and their suffering immense". WFP stated that its monthly fuel needs had increased from 40,000 to 1 million litres.

On 6 May Kerry pledged to discuss with Saudi officials the implementation of a humanitarian pause. Kerry, on a visit to Djibouti, urged all sides "to comply with humanitarian law to take every precaution to keep civilians out of the line of fire."

On 7 May after Saudi/US discussions, SA proposed a five-day ceasefire. Two Houthi leaders told CNN that they would meet soon to discuss the proposal. Hours later, coalition spokesman said that forces would continue "a harsh response" to Houthis’ attacks on the areas along the Kingdom’s southern border.

On 8 May the Russian UN envoy said that he expected UN-brokered peace talks to resume quickly and warned that sending ground troops into Yemen would be a "a reckless escalation". A UN official commented on the recently announced ceasfire saying that it would not be enough to accommodate Yemen's humanitarian needs stating that a UN-chartered fuel vessel was still waiting off the coast.

On 10 May the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen stated that the attacks on Saada province were in breach of international law.

On 15 May new UN envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed peace talks in Geneva. Rebel spokesman Hamed al-Bokheiti said the Houthis were willing to hold talks in any "neutral" country.

On 20 May Secretary General Ban announced that peace talks would be held in Geneva starting on 28 May and urged all parties to participate. Houthi rebels expressed support for the talks while exiled government officials said they would participate only if the Houthi's withdrew from occupied cities.

On 26 May Secretary General Ban announced that the peace talks were to be postponed indefinitely after exiled Yemeni officials refused to attend until rebels withdrew from all occupied cities.

On 6 June the UN announced that it would host peace talks on 14 June. Both the exiled officials and the Houthi group confirmed their attendance.

On 29 June, Secretary General Ban denounced a coalition airstrike that had hit a UN compound in Aden the previous day and requested a full investigation.

Other effects

See also: al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen

Registration of Indian citizens evacuating from Yemen, March 2015

On March 25, Gulf Air, the Bahraini flag carrier airline announced the immediate suspension of service to Sana'a. Somali airlines such as Daallo Airlines and Jubba Airways also encountered difficulties, as they were unable to fly over Yemen after its airspace became restricted. On 15 April, Turkish Airlines suspended all Yemen flights until 1 June.

Following Hadi's request, the administration of the Egypt-based Nilesat and Saudi-based Arabsat, two satellite communication companies, stopped broadcasting Yemeni state-run television channels that had fallen under Houthi control. The channels included Al-Yemen, Al-Eman, Saba and Aden TV. Armed Houthis closed down the Sana’a offices of four media outlets, including Al-Jazeera, Yemen Shabab and Suhail channels, as well as Al-Masdar's newspaper and website. Al-Saeeda channel was also stormed, but was allowed to remain open on the condition it not broadcast anti-Houthi material. Houthi Political Office member Mohammad Al-Bukhaiti said the channels were closed for supporting the coalition.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula exploited the chaos to capture the south-eastern port city of Al Mukalla in early April.

King Salman replaced his half-brother Muqrin as crown prince with Muhammad bin Nayef and named his son Mohammed bin Salman as defence minister, and then-Ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir as foreign minister. Some reports linked the cabinet reshuffle to the war. At least one political analyst suggested that Muqrin was not supportive of the military intervention, and that this cost him his position. Prince Muqrin’s Yemeni Lineage was pointed out as another possible cause.

The exiled Yemeni government sent a request to the UN, asking for foreign troops on the ground.

On 19 June, WikiLeaks announced the intention of releasing over 500,000 Saudi diplomatic documents to the internet. In its statement, WikiLeaks referred to a recent electronic attack on the Saudi Foreign Ministry by a group calling itself the Yemen Cyber Army, but did not indicate whether they passed the documents to WikiLeaks.

On 26 August, Bob Semple, a British hostage who was held by Al Qaeda in Yemen was freed by the UAE armed forces.

Peace talks

15 to 19 June

Secretary-General Ban called for a "humanitarian pause" during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Peace talks between the exiled government and the Houthis concluded in Geneva without reaching a ceasefire.

Ramadan Peace agreement

On 4 July Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said in a post on his Facebook page that he had met Ahmed on Friday to discuss a Ramadan truce. The US and EU announced their support for a humanitarian truce.

On 9 July the UN announced an unconditional truce between 10 July until the end of Eid ul Fitr on 17 July. The Special Envoy to Yemen assured the agreement of all warring factions. In a televised speech, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, head of the Houthi's, endorsed the truce, but doubted that the ceasefire would hold. The truce was pierced within an hour by airstrikes. Coalition spokesman later added that the coalition was not bound by the truce and that any truce would be counterproductive. It later added that it was not requested to pause by the exiled Yemeni Government.

Further peace talks

On 8 September, VICE News revealed a leaked email by UN Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed. In it, the envoy confirms that Houthi rebels and the party of former president and Houthi ally Ali Abdullah Saleh have expressed willingness to accept — with some reservations — a UN Security Council resolution, approved in April. This demanded the rebels "withdraw their forces from all areas they have seized, including the capital, Sanaa." "AA/GPC agreed to a new wording on UNSC resolution 2216 that states unequivocally that they are committed to the implementation of 2216 (see document attached) with the exception of article which infringe on Yemeni sovereignty and those related to sanctions," wrote Ould Cheikh Ahmed, referring to Ansar Allah (AA) — another name for the Houthis — and Saleh's General People's Congress party (GPC). "In addition, the new text includes acceptance of the return of the current government for a period of 60 days during which a government of national unity shall be formed," wrote the envoy in the email. According to Ould Cheikh Ahmed, during talks, the Houthis gave ground on certain language, including "mandatory support by the international community for reconstruction that was in the earlier version." "The latter was particularly opposed by KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] and GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] who did not want it to be interpreted as a form of mandatory compensation," added the UN envoy.

On 10 September, UN Envoy to Yemen announced that all parties had agreed to peace talks. A statement from Hadi's office following a meeting on the issue of new talks affirmed the president's "complete support for the sincere efforts exerted by the special envoy." It urged Ahmed to "exert efforts to achieve the public and honest commitment on the part of the Houthis and Saleh" to implement the April 14 council resolution unconditionally. On 13 September, the exiled Yemeni government announced that it would no longer participate in the peace talks.

See also

• List of modern wars in the middle east