Yemen’s Houthi militants and allies capture Saudi military base

Middle East, News May 26, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

Fighters from Yemen’s Houthi movement together with members of the allied popular resistance committees have taken control of a Saudi military base in retaliation to Riyadh’s ongoing air campaign against Yemen.

Houthi fighters and forces of the popular committees recaptured the base in the al-Makhrouq region of the southwestern Saudi province of Najran during an operation late Monday.

Several military equipment and vehicles were destroyed in the operation.

The development comes as the Yemeni fighters and army allies attacked a Saudi military base near the border area of Tuwayliq in Sa’ada Province.

This is the latest in a series of attacks by Houthi as well as tribal forces against Saudi border positions over the past few weeks.

The Yemeni army, backed by popular committee forces, also on Monday destroyed four Saudi tanks after storming a base in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern city of Jizan.

Yemenis say the attacks are in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that a Saudi security officer was killed when “military missiles from inside Yemen” hit their location, leaving at least three others injured.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Arab allies continues fierce air campaign against Yemen’s Shiite Houthi group.The Saudi-led coalition began airstrikes on March 25, with the aim of toppling the Houthi government in Yemen, which it views as loyal to Iran.