March 26 (Reuters) – The Saudi-led coalition which is intervening militarily in Yemen launched a military operation on Saturday to end attacks on its oil installations and “protect the world’s energy sources”, state media reported. Saudi state.
The coalition has announced that it will carry out airstrikes against the Yemeni capital Sanaa, controlled by the Houthis, and the port of Hodedah, on the Red Sea.
The purpose of this operation is to “protect the world’s energy sources and ensure (the functioning) of supply chains”, the coalition said, adding that the operation was still in its infancy and that the Houthis should bear the consequences of their “hostile behaviour”.
Saudi state media earlier reported that the coalition said it would “directly address sources of threat” and asked civilians to avoid being near any Hodedah oil sites or installations.
This announcement came after the coalition announced that two drones had been intercepted and destroyed in the skies of Yemen.
Houthi rebels in Yemen said they launched a series of attacks on oil installations in Saudi Arabia on Friday using drones and missiles.
Civilian sites will be spared and collateral damage to oil installations will be avoided, the coalition said.
The Houthi-controlled Yemeni TV channel Al Masirah reported that coalition airstrikes were still underway over the town of Hodedah, while residents told Reuters the raids took place near the Port of Hodedah.
Al Masirah also said that the coalition had attacked the port of Salif, as well as electric and oil Hodedah.
Residents of Sanaa told Reuters that the administrative building of the oil company Safer, south of the city, had been bombed. (Report Nayera Abdallah and Omar Fahmy, with Mohammed Ghobari; French version Camille Raynaud)