Yemen’s Houthi militias have continued their military operations on most fronts despite the Arab Coalition extending a unilateral ceasefire by one month starting from April 23, Yemeni military sources said.
Saudi sources quoted the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen as saying that the militias had violated the extended ceasefire 129 times until late Saturday.
The violations included military hostilities and use of heavy and light weapons, Al-Arabiya Channel reported, quoting a statement from the Arab Coalition.
According to the statement, the Coalition applies the utmost restraint in the rules of engagement. However, it pointed to reserving the right to lawfully respond to the militias’ violations through self-defense.
Commander of the Joint Operations Lieutenant General Sagheer bin Aziz held Saturday an expanded meeting in Marib to follow up the progress in joint operations.
Official Yemeni sources said he was briefed on the operations at various strategic sites and battlefronts.
Bin Aziz hailed the sacrifices of the army, the resistance and tribesmen in Bayda, Sarawah, Naham, al-Jawf and al-Dhalea fronts, and other fronts in the battles against the Iran-backed militias.
He asked officers and members of the joint operations to “double efforts, enhance vigilance and discipline, which would accelerate the liberation of the rest of the country and achieving a great victory for all Yemenis,” the media center of the Yemeni Armed Forces reported.
The center stated that the Chief of Staff expressed his “appreciation for the support of Arab Coalition states, represented by the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its great role in supporting the legitimacy, and the efforts made by the armed forces to defeat the Iran-backed militias aimed at destabilizing security and stability in Yemen and the Arab region.”
Houthis have failed to abide by the ceasefire by escalating their attacks in al-Jawf, Bayda, and Maarib provinces.
Head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat ordered Friday the deployment of additional fighters on Yemeni fronts and called on merchants to pay more zakat.
Sources also told Asharq Al-Awsat that some mosque preachers, loyal to the militias, have been calling on worshipers to send their children to Houthi military camps and to donate money for the militias’ war efforts.
