Yemeni Armed Forces Year Review: Painful Responses, New Military Equations, Full Preparedness

By Staff, Agencies

Spokesman of the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yehya Saree held a press conference to state Yemen’s 2019 review in terms of major achievements against the countries composing the coalition of aggression.

Saree said that Yemen’s soldiers have adeptly managed to impose military equations on the Saudi-led coalition involved in a deadly campaign against the impoverished country.

“Our forces are fighting battles of independence and liberation, and continue to carry out their tasks and duties in defense of Yemen and the Yemeni nation. They continue to strengthen their defense capabilities by liberating and securing expanses of land across Yemen and confronting the Saudi-led aggression and blockade. They have been able to impose new military equations on enemies based on striking strategies,” Saree said in a press conference in the capital Sanaa on Sunday afternoon.

The official also lauded the military capabilities of the armed forces who, he said, have delivered unexpected blows to the enemy.

“Yemeni armed forces are able to give befitting response to all enemy military operations given their size and purpose, and target all hostile movements that constitute a threat to our forces, our people, and our country,” the spokesman added.

Saree said the armed forces of Yemen are fully prepared to strike nine strategic targets deep inside the territory of the aggressors, of which six are located in Saudi Arabia and the rest are in the United Arab Emirates.

“It is legitimate to respond with painful strikes as long as the [Saudi-led] coalition of aggression targets our people and our country… Military installations and hardware of the aggressors on our soil, in our territorial waters, and on our islands are legitimate targets for our forces.”

The high-ranking Yemeni military official also warned foreign companies against assisting enemies in plundering Yemen’s natural resources.

Saree went on to say that the next year would be the year of air defense; and Yemeni forces will work to develop their military industries and enhance their inventory of various types of weapons, chiefly strategic deterrence ammunition.

More than half the total number of the coalition attacks, Saree said, targeted areas in the northwestern province of Saada. The figure stood at not less than 3,615 raids, he added. The northern province of Hajjah was exposed to more than 1,427 raids, while Sana'a province witnessed more than 424 attacks.

Saree underscored that Yemeni forces carried out 1,686 operations, including 607 offensive operations, 1,044 raids and 35 infiltrations, in the year 2019.

He said the Yemeni armed forces could intercept and target 69 coalition military aircraft, including seven fighter jets, nine unmanned aerial vehicles and 53 spy drones, during the mentioned period.

According to the spokesman, Yemeni snipers carried out 16,643 operations, fatally shooting 228 Saudi troopers, 142 Sudanese mercenaries and 16,050 Yemeni militiamen loyal to former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

“Anti-armor units also conducted 1,180 operations, destroying 192 military vehicles with personnel and military equipment aboard, 138 armored vehicles, 40 military bulldozers, 40 tanks plus 155 heavy and medium-size machine guns.”

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of Hadi back to power and crushing the Ansarullah revolutionary movement.

The war has taken a heavy toll on Yemen’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. Meanwhile, over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger.