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Analysis: Saudi-led Arab coalition stays largely in the shadows
Saudi Arabia has put together an almost unprecedented Arab coalition to support its military intervention against the Ansar Allah group in Yemen. However, precise details on which countries are involved and what assets they are contributing remain sketchy.
When Operation 'Determined Storm' began on 25 March, Saudi Arabia released a statement on behalf of itself, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announcing that the Gulf states had launched an intervention at the request of Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi. Three days later, Saudi spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri showed a slide claiming that 12 countries were involved in the operation.
While Brig Gen Asiri provided no further details on the coalition, the Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya had already reported that the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) had been joined by 30 jets from the UAE, 15 from Bahrain, 15 from Kuwait, 10 from Qatar, and six from Jordan, adding that Egyptian forces were also taking part in the operation.
These claims were partly corroborated by Al-Arabiya's footage of a Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet, a Qatari Mirage 2000-5, and a Sudanese Su-24 broadcast on 31 March. At least some of the footage appeared to be filmed at King Khalid Air Base, the RSAF's closest base to Yemen.
The presence of Qatari and Sudanese aircraft reflects an almost unprecedented level of unity among Arab states, as the former rarely follows Saudi Arabia's lead, while the latter is generally seen as an ally of the kingdom's main regional rival, Iran, which has vocally denounced the operation.
Brig Gen Asiri said that Iran had flown multiple weapons shipments to Ansar Allah - whose members are popularly known as Houthis - and trained its personnel to operate aircraft.
The UAE's contribution of multirole fighters was confirmed on 1 April, when its official WAM news agency broadcast footage of four Emirati advanced F-16s that, it said, were involved in the operation. They took off from what appeared to be King Khalid Air Base and carried AIM-9 and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles in addition to laser-guided bombs. One was also seen refuelling from a RSAF's A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).
Egypt, which has been a close Saudi ally since the military took power in July 2013, almost immediately announced its support of the operation. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, "Co-ordination is underway with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries on arrangements for participation by an Egyptian air, naval and ground force in the coalition."
Around the same time, Egypt's presidency also released a statement announcing that the Egyptian navy and air force were participating in the operation, but without mentioning the possible deployment of ground forces.
Egyptian authorities have not disclosed any further details about those contributions, but the new Ambassador IV-class fast attack missile craft Ezzat and the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Alexandria were spotted transiting through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. A video emerged on social media that was purportedly filmed from an Egyptian naval vessel as it shelled parts of Aden.
Likewise, a statement released in the name of King Abdullah II of Jordan on 29 March stated, "We are fully committed to the Arab military effort," but provided no details as to what this commitment involved.
The participation of the Jordanian, Egyptian, and Bahraini air forces was seemingly corroborated on 3 April when the Saudi news website almnatiq.net released footage of an F-16 from each of those countries at what appeared to be King Khalid Air Base again.
Morocco is the ninth member of the coalition. The official MAP news agency published a statement from King Mohammed VI on 27 March confirming the country's full support of the operation and its decision to put its combat aircraft stationed in the UAE at the disposal of the coalition. Moroccan aircraft under Emirati command were already involved in the coalition against the Islamic State militant groups in Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, Algeria has ruled itself out of the coalition on the basis that its constitution prevents military deployments overseas. No contributions should be expected from Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, or Syria, which are all currently struggling with their own domestic conflicts and/or support the Iranian position. Oman appears to watch from the sidelines, retaining the possibility to negotiate among the warring parties.
The Saudis may also be counting the United States as a coalition member. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Riyadh on 7 April that the United States had stepped up its support of the coalition.
"Saudi Arabia is sending a strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force," he said. "In support of that effort, we have expedited weapons deliveries, we have increased our intelligence sharing, and we have established a joint co-ordination and planning cell in the Saudi operations centre."
US Department of Defense spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said on the same day that the fast-tracked weapons were mostly "bombs and guidance kits". He added that a US Air Force KC-135 tanker had begun supporting Saudi F-15 and Emirati F-16 aircraft involved in the operation on 7 April.
Saudi Arabia has put together an almost unprecedented Arab coalition to support its military intervention against the Ansar Allah group in Yemen. However, precise details on which countries are involved and what assets they are contributing remain sketchy.
When Operation 'Determined Storm' began on 25 March, Saudi Arabia released a statement on behalf of itself, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announcing that the Gulf states had launched an intervention at the request of Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi. Three days later, Saudi spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri showed a slide claiming that 12 countries were involved in the operation.
While Brig Gen Asiri provided no further details on the coalition, the Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya had already reported that the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) had been joined by 30 jets from the UAE, 15 from Bahrain, 15 from Kuwait, 10 from Qatar, and six from Jordan, adding that Egyptian forces were also taking part in the operation.
These claims were partly corroborated by Al-Arabiya's footage of a Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet, a Qatari Mirage 2000-5, and a Sudanese Su-24 broadcast on 31 March. At least some of the footage appeared to be filmed at King Khalid Air Base, the RSAF's closest base to Yemen.
The presence of Qatari and Sudanese aircraft reflects an almost unprecedented level of unity among Arab states, as the former rarely follows Saudi Arabia's lead, while the latter is generally seen as an ally of the kingdom's main regional rival, Iran, which has vocally denounced the operation.
Brig Gen Asiri said that Iran had flown multiple weapons shipments to Ansar Allah - whose members are popularly known as Houthis - and trained its personnel to operate aircraft.
The UAE's contribution of multirole fighters was confirmed on 1 April, when its official WAM news agency broadcast footage of four Emirati advanced F-16s that, it said, were involved in the operation. They took off from what appeared to be King Khalid Air Base and carried AIM-9 and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles in addition to laser-guided bombs. One was also seen refuelling from a RSAF's A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).
Egypt, which has been a close Saudi ally since the military took power in July 2013, almost immediately announced its support of the operation. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying, "Co-ordination is underway with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries on arrangements for participation by an Egyptian air, naval and ground force in the coalition."
Around the same time, Egypt's presidency also released a statement announcing that the Egyptian navy and air force were participating in the operation, but without mentioning the possible deployment of ground forces.
Egyptian authorities have not disclosed any further details about those contributions, but the new Ambassador IV-class fast attack missile craft Ezzat and the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Alexandria were spotted transiting through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. A video emerged on social media that was purportedly filmed from an Egyptian naval vessel as it shelled parts of Aden.
Likewise, a statement released in the name of King Abdullah II of Jordan on 29 March stated, "We are fully committed to the Arab military effort," but provided no details as to what this commitment involved.
The participation of the Jordanian, Egyptian, and Bahraini air forces was seemingly corroborated on 3 April when the Saudi news website almnatiq.net released footage of an F-16 from each of those countries at what appeared to be King Khalid Air Base again.
Morocco is the ninth member of the coalition. The official MAP news agency published a statement from King Mohammed VI on 27 March confirming the country's full support of the operation and its decision to put its combat aircraft stationed in the UAE at the disposal of the coalition. Moroccan aircraft under Emirati command were already involved in the coalition against the Islamic State militant groups in Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, Algeria has ruled itself out of the coalition on the basis that its constitution prevents military deployments overseas. No contributions should be expected from Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, or Syria, which are all currently struggling with their own domestic conflicts and/or support the Iranian position. Oman appears to watch from the sidelines, retaining the possibility to negotiate among the warring parties.
The Saudis may also be counting the United States as a coalition member. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Riyadh on 7 April that the United States had stepped up its support of the coalition.
"Saudi Arabia is sending a strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force," he said. "In support of that effort, we have expedited weapons deliveries, we have increased our intelligence sharing, and we have established a joint co-ordination and planning cell in the Saudi operations centre."
US Department of Defense spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said on the same day that the fast-tracked weapons were mostly "bombs and guidance kits". He added that a US Air Force KC-135 tanker had begun supporting Saudi F-15 and Emirati F-16 aircraft involved in the operation on 7 April.
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