Arab coalition forces hit Souq Allaf in north Saada province in Yemen. The military raid targeted a missile base, killing Iranian experts and leaders linked to Houthi and ousted Saleh’s militia, reported Yemeni media. The Houthi militias claimed that the raids targeted civilians at Souq Allaf at the province of Saada, early on Wednesday.
The sources confirmed the killing of Iranian experts, and military leaders in the so-called missile force belonging to the Houthis and Saleh’s militia. Yemeni news sites reported that the head of the Houthi missile unit, Qais Ali al-Qamantar, was killed in the raids targeting a building in which he was located next to the popular market in the Sahar Directorate in the center of Saada.
The sources also confirmed the death of his brother Hussein and other elements of the militia, including Iranian missile experts whose identities are still unknown. Houthi activists and leaders condemned the killing of al-Qamantar, referring to him as a missile force officer.
Other sources said he supervised the installation of launching pads of ballistic missiles, directed at Saudi territory. The Houthi militia included Qais and Hussein al-Qamantar in a list of names, claiming they were civilians killed in the aerial bombardment of the location in Sahar.
The coalition forces spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki announced earlier, that the allegations circulated by the Houthi media regarding the death of civilians were reviewed and investigated.
On the other hand, Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi stressed on Wednesday that success achieved by the Arab coalition and the pro-government forces against Iran-backed coup militias has forced the latter towards military escalation.
He added that Yemen’s internationally-recognized government headed by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Arab Coalition have managed presenting a strong case in convincing world countries that militias are chiefly responsible for disrupting peace and finding a political solution.
Coup forces in Yemen have responded to international efforts in support of the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, with military escalation—with its last undertaking being the firing of a missile at Saudi Arabia.
Iran-aligned Houthis have also increased their acts of violence at home, hoping to escape the political solution and admitting defeat on behalf of the Iranian project in Yemen and the region. Houthis are devoted to spreading falsified rumors aimed at marring the image of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Coalition and the government, said Mekhlafi.
Mekhlafi expressed surprise at some media outlets spreading fake news targeting Hadi’s standing. He pointed out that making false allegations and lies is the result of the frustration of coup forces. High collaboration found between the Arab Coalition and government forces has continued to disturb coup ranks.
In its latest reaffirmation, the Arab-Yemeni cooperation was further consolidated at the Conference of Foreign Ministers and Chiefs of Staff of the coalition, a meeting which focused on salvaging Yemen’s security, stability, unity, and territorial integrity, all of which is linked to a fierce commitment to restore legitimacy to Yemen.
Mekhlafi also added that news outlets and broadcast must confirm their sources before making headlines, saying making anti-government propaganda based on unidentified sources was short to surprising.
“I think the dissemination rumors harm the coup’s argument, and depict the slope that the movement has gone down for achieving political goals in its campaign against Saudi Arabia, the coalition and the Yemeni legitimate government,” said Mekhlafi.