The Saudi-led Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen announced Sunday that it had destroyed 13 naval mines over the weekend that the Iran-backed Houthis had arbitrarily planted in the country.
This brings to total 86 the number of naval mines the coalition has destroyed since kicking off its operations in Yemen.
Thirty-six mines alone were destroyed last week, said coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki.
The removal of the mines is part of efforts to ensure the safety of global naval and trade routes in the southern Red Sea area.
Maliki said the explosives posed a threat to vital coastal facilities, fishing vessels and large oil tankers.
He condemned the Houthis for planting the mines, saying it was a “blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law.”
Moreover, the militias’ actions “are damning evidence that they are not serious about ceasing their terrorist and hostile acts that are threatening regional and international security,” he added.
“The Houthis will be held responsible for any damage or environmental or economic disasters as a result of their terrorist and hostile acts,” he said.
