Kingdom declares all-out war against Houthi menace

The Saudi-led Arab coalition has vowed that it would deliver a “harsh response” to the Houthis following attacks on Saudi citizens, and will not be bound by any restrictions.
Houthi militias in Yemen have crossed a “red line” and will pay a high price for their deadly bombardments of Saudi Arabia, the coalition said on Thursday.
“The equation is different, the confrontation is different, and they will pay a harsh and expensive price,” coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Assiri told reporters.
“The safety of Saudi Arabia is a top priority for the coalition and the Saudi armed forces. It is a red line they crossed,” the general said.
Al-Assiri’s warning came after Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired a meeting of top commanders to review the situation along the Kingdom’s southern borders.
Prince Mohammed was briefed on airstrikes carried out by coalition forces during the past 24 hours. The minister has urged the forces to take all measures to ensure the safety and security of Saudi borders.
“Now the confrontation is targeting Saudi Arabia's borders, targeting Saudi citizens, targeting the safety and security of Saudi cities. Here we confirm that this is unacceptable,” the spokesman added.
He said an operation to respond “starts now” and will target “all the leaders of the organization, the areas they gather, their leadership locations, and the planners. And it will not be a limited operation.”
The Houthi stronghold of Saada, in northern Yemen, will be among the areas in the coalition's sights, Al-Assiri said.
Shells fired from Yemen killed five people in the Najran region on Wednesday, civil defense authorities said. Three others died in a mortar and rocket attack on Najran on Tuesday. It was “killing for the sake of killing,” Al-Assiri said.
State television on Thursday reported further strikes but said they landed in an uninhabited area.