US: HOUTHI REBELS CANNOT OVERRUN YEMEN BY FORCE

Riyadh, 19 Jumadil Akhir 1436/8 April 2015 (MINA) – The United States is supplying intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition bombing rebel positions in Yemen and will expedite arms supplies to the alliance, Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken has said.

Blinken told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia was sending a “strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force,” Al Jazeera quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“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,” Blinken said.

At the Pentagon in Washington, spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said the United States was looking to deliver munitions to its allies, including by accelerating pre-existing orders.

“It’s a combination of pre-existing orders made by our partner nations and some new requirements as they expend munitions,” Warren said, asked about Blinken’s remarks.

The Houthi rebels swept into the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September and have since tried to expand their control across the country. In February, they placed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi under house arrest before he fled to his power base in the southern city of Aden and then to Saudi Arabia. (T/P001/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)