Arab Coalition Vows Immediate Response to Any Hostile Houthi Attempted Attack

A Yemeni government fighter shoots a vehicle-mounted weapon at a frontline position during a battle against Houthis in Marib, Yemen, March 9, 2021. (Reuters)
A Yemeni government fighter shoots a vehicle-mounted weapon at a frontline position during a battle against Houthis in Marib, Yemen, March 9, 2021. (Reuters)
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Arab Coalition Vows Immediate Response to Any Hostile Houthi Attempted Attack

A Yemeni government fighter shoots a vehicle-mounted weapon at a frontline position during a battle against Houthis in Marib, Yemen, March 9, 2021. (Reuters)
A Yemeni government fighter shoots a vehicle-mounted weapon at a frontline position during a battle against Houthis in Marib, Yemen, March 9, 2021. (Reuters)

The Saudi-led Arab coalition said on Saturday it had carried out 33 operations against the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen's Marib province in the past 24 hours.

The operations left over 190 Houthi terrorists dead and destroyed 21 of their military vehicles.

In al-Bayda province, the coalition carried out 27 operations against the Houthis, killing over 150 terrorists and destroying 16 military vehicles.

The coalition announced it had thwarted "deliberate attempts by the Houthis to attack civilians and civilian locations."

"Any hostile Houthi attempt will incur an immediate response," vowed the coalition.

"We strongly warn against continuing to attempt to attack civilians," it said.

On the ground, the national Yemeni army and the Giants Brigades were on the verge of liberating Marib's Harib and al-Jawiya districts from the Houthis.

The military, Giants Brigades and resistance have completely surrounded the Houthis in southern Marib, reported Al Arabiya.

The legitimate forces have been backed by the Arab coalition jets.



Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
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Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Egypt is intensifying its measures to prevent another crisis of illegal Hajj pilgrims, which had taken place in 2024 when thousands of people exploited visas to enter Saudi Arabia to illegally perform the Hajj.

Egyptian authorities had warned companies against flying travelers without the right visa. Coordination and communication are ongoing with Saudi authorities over the issue.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz received in Riyadh Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei for talks on the measures Cairo is taking ahead of the upcoming Hajj season to avoid another crisis.

Egypt has formed a committee, headed by the prime minister, to manage the Hajj crisis.

A statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the ambassador stressed that firm measures will be taking against companies that commit violations related to the Hajj.

Last week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi formed a “crisis cell” that has referred 16 officials from a tourism company to the general prosecution for Hajj violations.

Egyptian authorities have hailed Saudi Arabia for providing all forms of support to legal pilgrims during the Hajj.

Member of the parliamentary tourism committee Ahmed Idriss said state agencies have taken measures to avert a new Hajj crisis in 2025.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said efforts have focused on combating fake entities that claim to be organizing Hajj trips, and on coordinating with Saudi authorities to crackdown on violators.