Houthi was hit. They destroyed the military airport, next to Sanaa International airport they hid two other airports so quite a lot of targets across yemen not only sanaa. These are all presumably being held by the houthis and supporters of former president saleh. We know the former president Ali Abdalla Saleh enjoys immense popularity. There are a number of bases who are loyal to ahmed saleh the son of the toppled president. The head of the republican guard. A very influential person. A lot of those were on the target list of the gcc countries and i think the main goal is to degrade those forces and to prevent the houthis and their allies from advancing and taking more territory. And at some point get back to the negotiating table. Absolutely. I think theres no military solution to the yemeni crisis. I think what this is all about is to try and pressure the houthis and put them back on the negotiating table. They have been on the negotiating table to be very frank. However, they seem to be following a certain path and they seem to be following a plan. On the one hand they are negotiating with all theyre political rivals. On the other hand, they are pursuing and expanding their control on more territory within yemen. Omar, thank you. Now, ali al ahmed is the director of gulf affairs he says the u. S. Is making a mistake by supporting this action by saudi arabia. The saudi reasons for invading yemen is not to slid tie the government, hadi was forced upon the yemenis through an election that was illegitimate because he was the only candidate. This is not about protecting the legitimacy of the yemeni government. It is to control yemen and its future. This is nothing new. This is been the case since 1978 when saudi arabia was involved in defeating yemen and overthrew the popular president and actually he was killed in that process. Mr. Al hamedi. Since then the Saudi Arabian government has been involved in yemen the direct result of the saudi intervention and desire to keep yemen backward and disorganized. You notice one thing that sort of zenophone in language, what people call houthis he said they are afternoon outside group. This is the way the saudis view any yemeni who is not working for their interest, the saudi interest view them as an outside group. Lets not forget, the Saudi Arabians refused to give the houthis a seat at the table and a part of the sair of the politicalshare of thepolitical power in yemen. Now, when they take over the majority of them, the saudi decision is to bomb them. I think its going to end up in failure because you will see other gcc countries will run away from this debacle because this is going to be a debacle and the United States is going to make a huge mistake through supporting this, through intelligence and other support. This is a hornets nest. I will not be surprised in couple of days that you will see yemenis inside the city of jazon, jazon will be occupied by yemeni forces. It is so easy for them to do and unfortunately that will happen. This conflict will spread into saudi arabia itself. Allen fisher is live for us from washington, d. C. Hi again allen. So the u. S. National Security Council has issued a statement about this military operation. Please remind us what the u. S. Military role is in this. They are offering intelligent and logistical support. They say we are establishing a joint planning cell with saudi arabia to coordinate u. S. Military and intelligence support while insisting that while u. S. Force he are not taking direct military action in yemen. Theyre trying to say that yes were involved but theyre doing so from a bit of an arms length. But if you are involved with logistical and intelligence support youre very much involved. I dont think there can be a little bit of getting involved in this operation. There will be more discussion with the state department, the military defense and the white house very late on wednesday night here. I think this is the only statement were going to get from government sources before the morning and before we start to see perhaps people from the white house perhaps people from the state department begin to brief on exactly what americas role has been in this operation beyond military sorry beyond intelligence and logistical support. Allen this operation will have come as a surprise to lots of people im guessing since days ago the u. N. Security council has said there should be no foreign intervention in yemen. Well its hard to believe that the saudis would not have flagged up to the americans they were going to do something and at that point they would have asked for support. Thats when the logistical and intelligence support came. A few hours ago the state department were asked what were the feeling be from the United States if the saudis were to launch some sort of military action in yemen they of course had concerns, it is very close to their territories. We were talking in hypotheticals. This has been kept to a very small group obviously. The americans clearly provided some sort of help to the Saudi Arabian air force particularly when it caims to launching air came to launching air strikes. How the its had pulled out of yemen, it was a center for their Counterterrorism Operations in that area as they called it and they insisted that things had not been diminished too greatly without having people on the ground. We have a number of assets in the area that can be used if we get actionable evidence on which we would want to act. And so the Americans Still have a presence in the area. They still have hardware in the area maybe not necessarily in yemen itself but areas they can call upon. Drones and intelligence gathering satellites which were undoubtedly used to help in what was described as logistical and intelligence support to this operation by saudi arabia and the gcc. Hey allen before you go how worried is the u. S. That this conflict could spiral out of control . Because as weve heard various analysts and experts say its very hard to start a war but hard to stop it. Theyll obviously be concerned none the least that houthis are backed by iran and america and iran dont have the best relations. Many people on capitol are very concerned about iran, since the nuclear deal, two weeks ago that Benjamin Netanyahu went on capitol hill to warn about Nuclear Weapons and both sides of the aisle were willing to buy in to what he was saying about iran. There are concerns about the houthis getting support from iran and iran putting support to the other side, that this concern that it could develop into a greater conflagration, a war by proxy to support the houthis, armed them, helped direct them in certain areas and the americans with the saudis do exactly the same thing. So it becomes a much wider conflict. Even though geographically it might be contained. Allen thank you allen fisher is in washington, d. C. For us. Lets go back to somer alhendani joining us from washington, d. C. As well. Thank you for staying to speak with us once again. What do you think one of our earlier guests, says the United States is making a mistake by supporting this military operation in yemen. What do you think . What it seems like with the saudis intervening in what is a yemeni yemeni conflict, they are dragging into a conflict, this war is no longer a yemeni party they are almost asking for other countries to get involved in this. Well chem there are a few other countries involved at the moment. Not clear what their different roles are. Do you think at this point that any kind of political solution is basically out the window . I dont think so anything is out the window. These kind of narratives where its either this or that, are not actually representative of what reality is. I always think that negotiations have a way. I think that if this attack, this was just a one time think if the saudis now rush into negotiations into reaching a settlement, then i think that things can be worked out. Having said that, looking at how things have happened in the past few days, it seems that neither the Saudi Arabians or the houthis are willing to engage with each other. The problem again is that president hadi is probably not on the ground in yemen. If president hadi is not in yemen, who is who is the allies, the saudis on the ground . Again the people have been really scared. The last time i checked with everyone it seems things have quieted down a lot they are falling asleep and going back to sleep. How is this going to go forward . I think the air strikes were unnecessary. I understand saudi arabias fear of the houthis pushing forward but this conflict has just gotten a lot bigger than it needs to be. You said, president hadi now reported to be in saudi arabia were hearing. So yeah the question has to im sorry i lost you. Can you hear me somer or is our connection gone . Apologies, we have lost our connection with somer in washington d. C. Lets talk with ali al ahmed. Ali, once again thank you for staying and speaking. You say you think its a mistake for the u. S. To be supporting this operation in yemen. Why . Yeah because this is going to drag the region into a larger war. The u. S. Support here is really misplaced because they are if they were intentioning or thinking that they will help the saudis, they are making a huge mistake, because they are really throwing the saudis and the gcc countries into a hornets nest that is yemen. If israel was not able to do much into a flat, small strip that is gaza, for six seven weeks, the saudi army which is ill trained, it will not be able to do much in yemen. Imagine if the yemenis turn against the saudis and march towards saudi territories then what . Then we have a huge regional fight that if the iranians come and support and support the houthis and yemenis not much houthis now because you are talking about the majority of the yemeni people who are now fighting the saudis who are bombing them. You are going to have a huge problem and missiles flying across the border for many, many years maybe. Because of this illthought decision by young prince in ryad. Now, the saudis are obviously very concerned that this conflict in yemen was going to spill over the borders into their own country. No, no, this is really a saudi obsession with security. There has not been a single shot fired from yemen at the saudis. This is like your previous guest said, this is a yemeni yemeni conflict that is not posing a danger to saudi arabia. This is an imagined threat. But we have seen that the saudi government for 40 years have not allowed the yemenis to rule themselves. Have not allowed yemen to be a democratic stable, pleurallistic society. They have always had this policy of keeping yemen under their thumb and that is why they intervene. This is not a focus of the constitution or the legitimacy of the government. This is about what the saudis want in yemen. Thats why you see them attacking and bombing yemeni targets, civilians mostly. How do you think it should be handled instead leave the yemenis to sort it out themselves, the houthis the various factions to fight it out among themselves . Absolutely. This is a yemeni problem and it has to be sofd by yemenis through dialogue outside the region the u. N. Decision to have a dialogue in qatar was another miscalculation. Because you need a neutral region where yemenis could sit and talk to one another. That was done in case of afghanistan for example it was largely successful. Something like that, throwing more bombs really only is going to make this issue worse. And its going to make it more difficult, its going to breed another war another conflict. And here we go again and more people will die. And if saudi airplanes start falling and saudi soldiers start being captured and saudi territory are taken by yemenis then what, then you are going to have a larger war and another negotiation between two or three countries. Okay, ali al ahmed once again, thank you very much for speaking with us. Lets go back to somer in washington d. C a yemeni analyst and researcher. We heard the previous speaker say he thought there should be neutral talks. You told me a few days ago you thought there should be genuine dialogue but within yemen how optimistic are you that such a dialogue can happen now . Im not that optimistic. As we have seen, things have escalated very, very quickly. First from the houthi side when they expanded and pushed president hadi out they took from the government of taiz and taizz and surrounded aden and took that area. Now it seems that the houthis have decided to respond to this expansion by trying to hinder the movements of the houthis. The only problem here is that i dont believe that all peaceful means of negotiation have been exhausted. I think this was rushed into. Well, ultimately, this consensus agreement, some sort of agreement anyway, is in all parties interest, isnt it . Because there isnt any one group that can control all of the country. Yes. And it was finally looking like the houthis were going to be the group that are going to control the country. Ive talked about this before. Weve had two powers just recently that of president hadi in the south and former president saleh in the north. Formerrer president salehs forces were to be the winners and that probably angered the gcc countries. And thus the air strike. It seems that beyond the iranian and saudi narrative, there is personal animosity that is going on that is forcing the saudis to take the action. The president who used to be a u. S. And Saudi Arabian ally for 30 years is no longer their friend as he has allied himself with the houthi movement. This is a proxy war isnt it with shia iran backed houthis and the former president saleh against saudi arabia and the other regional sunni muslims backing president hadi. Actually the war is a yemeni yemeni war. Saudi arabia wasnt involved in this at all. The heughtsz versus anybody who wos oppose them and ideologically speaking, it was houthis against al qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and i. S. I. S. And outside that there was no other regional actor involved in this. The proxy war it is essential that the conflict on the ground in yemen is a yemeni conflict in its essence. The heughtsz houthis are yemeni and they have economisted since the either . They are actually yemenis some and i think in january when all major embassies withdrew and pulled their forces out of yemen the International Communitytytyty represented by the u. S. , the u. K, ksa and other countries when they withdrew their diplomats from yemen i think the houthis were pushed more into the arms of iran. It is like a self fulfilling prophecy. The proxy war of yemen and iranian presence on the ground. Ive said this before. If saudi arabia and the gcc countries manage to get through to the houthis the houthis dont necessarily need to be irans ally because again they are yemeni first and foremost. Allow do you see the houthis responding to this military operation launched by the saudis . They have said before they would attack saudi arabia if they intervene militarily. It seems that the first reactions that were hearing on the ground are very hostile and are going in that direction. Ive been disappointed over and over again with the responses of the houthi militia group. Theyve had several opportunities to step back and not engage in bloody conflict, to gain Popular Support on the ground. When we talk about the houthis military, it doesnt mean they won the hearts of the yemeni people. Having said that the yemeni people as unhappy as they are with the houthi military presence, nobody wanted outside interference. The repercussions are going to be significant and i cannot see that ending well. Where is the former president ali ab Abdalla Saleh in this . During the trial that took place march 2013 to january 2014 there was a committee that was designated an assignment of coming up with a Transitional Justice plan. This group was trying to persecute president saleh however he was granted immunity. During this time he was in sanaa he never actually left the country. He left to get treatment in saudi arabia after a mosque in his president ial palace was attacked. Ever since he hasnt let go of any of the authorities and powers that haste had on the ground. That he has had on the ground. How do you see things dwoption from earthingsdeveloping from here on . Will the conflict get worse or will the supporters of former president saleh be forced to go back to the negotiating table . Well unfortunately because president hadi fled the country the only Political Authority that has power are the houthi group. We have other factions, the jmp a coalition of parties that allied themselves, the problem with these Political Parties in yemen they are very old they dont have a vision to save yemen economically. They dont know what they have in mind for yemen for the future. So the houthis gaining control was actually a positive thing for change. It could have meant some stability. However if we weaken the houthis that leaves room, could possibly leave room for several militias to operate independently. We have al qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and i. S. I. S. In yemen. With the houthis weaker that could mean these other factions could move in yemen. In somer in all conflicts it is the civilians the people in yemen who are there caught in the middle of the violence and bearing the brunt of this violence. Unfortunately it seems that the yemeni people are constantly bearing the brunt of this violence. Ever since 2011 things have not been going in the right direction. Yemen had a golden opportunity to transition into democracy and they had an opportunity to create real change and to achieve a pluralistic society. Unfortunately the International Community has always supported a program that was failing in its essential. In 2012 and 2013 a project known as the International Dialogue conference was supposed to save yemen. And the mismanagement of that conference resulted in what we had today. Hadis government failed to deliver any services to the people ive said this over and over again. The yemeni people on the ground want electricity, want water want jobs, want responsibility. They dont really care whos going to rule them. They just want safety. It seems like the bloodshed is continuing we see political assassinations on the rise, and what we here is the saudi intervention through air strikes, t