Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
CNN | via SUSRIS
[Wolf Blitzer] Joining us, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir. Mr. Ambassador, thank’s very much for joining us. Your air campaign – is it making much of a difference so far or is it too early?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Oh, absolutely. It’s making a huge difference. We have degraded their aircraft capabilities, their ballistic missiles, their heavy weapons, their air defenses, their command and control centers. It’s moving according to plan and being very, very effective, and we have ten coalition countries operating with us and we have support from the United States, which we very much appreciate.
This campaign is having a huge impact in Yemen and it is not over yet. For us failure is not an option. We will destroy the Houthis if they don’t come to reason and go to the negotiation table and work this out.
[Wolf Blitzer] You’ve seen all the reports though, Mr. Ambassador, that these prisoners – they busted open a prison. Nearly 300 al Qaeda and other prisoners, terrorists are now free. [Unknown], our reporter, was there in Sana’a. She flew in with an Indian aircraft for just an hour or two that could get in. They got people scrambling to get out. She says it’s a disaster over there.
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Well wars are never orderly. But we have taken every precaution to make sure that civilians are not damaged. We have taken every precaution to make sure that the targets we hit really are the targets that we intend to hit, and we have done so.
We have inflicted tremendous damage on the Houthis and on other Yemeni groups during this air campaign. We intend to continue with this effort until we have destroyed their capabilities and by extension destroyed the threat that they pose not only to us but to the rest of the world.
[Wolf Blitzer] We know the Houthi rebels are Shiites. The Saudis obviously Sunnis, but what is the role of Iran in Yemen right now? I’m getting conflicting information about how significant their role might be. Your analysis?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Well we don’t look at this as Sunni versus Shia. We look at this as an armed militia group that’s radical, that operates a military outside the legitimate government, that is now in possession of ballistic missiles and an air force that represents a threat to Yemen, to Yemen’s people, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to the region. This is something we cannot tolerate.
As far as their support from Iran is concerned, we know that Iran has operatives who are working with the Houthis. They have provided them with financial assistance. They have provided them with weapons. Sometime not too long ago a ship was interdicted that was carrying weapons from the Iranians to the Houthis, including shoulder-launched surface to air missiles.
[Wolf Blitzer] So do you see this as a proxy war in effect between Saudi Arabia and Iran?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] We see this as a war of necessity in which we’re trying to protect the Yemeni people and their legitimate government. We see a negative involvement by Iran in trying to promote disunity and division in Yemen.
[Wolf Blitzer] So far just Saudi air power. Is there any ground forces that you’ve sent into Yemen?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] No, we have that always as an option. We are ready to do whatever it takes to protect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we will do so, but at this stage we are dealing with the air campaign.
[Wolf Blitzer] So – but have you massed troops along the border with Yemen? Tanks, artillery, armored personnel carriers to move in if necessary?
Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
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CNN | via SUSRIS
[Wolf Blitzer] Joining us, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir. Mr. Ambassador, thank’s very much for joining us. Your air campaign – is it making much of a difference so far or is it too early?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Oh, absolutely. It’s making a huge difference. We have degraded their aircraft capabilities, their ballistic missiles, their heavy weapons, their air defenses, their command and control centers. It’s moving according to plan and being very, very effective, and we have ten coalition countries operating with us and we have support from the United States, which we very much appreciate.
This campaign is having a huge impact in Yemen and it is not over yet. For us failure is not an option. We will destroy the Houthis if they don’t come to reason and go to the negotiation table and work this out.
[Wolf Blitzer] You’ve seen all the reports though, Mr. Ambassador, that these prisoners – they busted open a prison. Nearly 300 al Qaeda and other prisoners, terrorists are now free. [Unknown], our reporter, was there in Sana’a. She flew in with an Indian aircraft for just an hour or two that could get in. They got people scrambling to get out. She says it’s a disaster over there.
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Well wars are never orderly. But we have taken every precaution to make sure that civilians are not damaged. We have taken every precaution to make sure that the targets we hit really are the targets that we intend to hit, and we have done so.
We have inflicted tremendous damage on the Houthis and on other Yemeni groups during this air campaign. We intend to continue with this effort until we have destroyed their capabilities and by extension destroyed the threat that they pose not only to us but to the rest of the world.
[Wolf Blitzer] We know the Houthi rebels are Shiites. The Saudis obviously Sunnis, but what is the role of Iran in Yemen right now? I’m getting conflicting information about how significant their role might be. Your analysis?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] Well we don’t look at this as Sunni versus Shia. We look at this as an armed militia group that’s radical, that operates a military outside the legitimate government, that is now in possession of ballistic missiles and an air force that represents a threat to Yemen, to Yemen’s people, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to the region. This is something we cannot tolerate.
As far as their support from Iran is concerned, we know that Iran has operatives who are working with the Houthis. They have provided them with financial assistance. They have provided them with weapons. Sometime not too long ago a ship was interdicted that was carrying weapons from the Iranians to the Houthis, including shoulder-launched surface to air missiles.
[Wolf Blitzer] So do you see this as a proxy war in effect between Saudi Arabia and Iran?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] We see this as a war of necessity in which we’re trying to protect the Yemeni people and their legitimate government. We see a negative involvement by Iran in trying to promote disunity and division in Yemen.
[Wolf Blitzer] So far just Saudi air power. Is there any ground forces that you’ve sent into Yemen?
[Adel Al-Jubeir] No, we have that always as an option. We are ready to do whatever it takes to protect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we will do so, but at this stage we are dealing with the air campaign.
[Wolf Blitzer] So – but have you massed troops along the border with Yemen? Tanks, artillery, armored personnel carriers to move in if necessary?