Saudi Arabia deployed 150,000 soldiers, 100 fighter jets and navy units in Yemen after Hadi pleaded with its Gulf ally for help against the Houthi rebels, who were advancing toward the southern city of Aden, where Hadi is based, to remove him from power in an attempted coup.
Who took part in the operation
With the exception of Oman, members of the Gulf States joined Saudi Arabia with its aerial bombardment of the Houthis. The UAE contributed with 30 fighter jets, Bahrain 15, Kuwait 15, Qatar 10. Non-Gulf states have also showed their support to “Operation Decisive Storm.”
Jordan deployed six fighter jets, Morocco, who expressed “complete solidarity” to Saudi Arabia provided six fighter jets while Sudan supplied three. An army media site confirmed that Sudan took part in the Saudi-led military operation Also, Egypt confirmed it will join the Saudi-led coalition.
The Western-backed Syrian National Coalition opposition group also said it backed the Saudi operation and voiced its support to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi as Yemen’s “legitimate” leader.
In addition to the Arab states support, U.S. President authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to “Decisive Storm.”
?When
The operation was declared over on 26 Mar 2015.
Air campaign
The coalition declared Yemeni airspace to be a restricted area, with King Salman declaring the RSAF to be in full control of the zone. Saudi Arabia began airstrikes. The scope of strikes expanded further on 27 March, with a radar installation in the Ma’rib Governorate and an airbase in the Abyan Governorate coming under air attack. The commander of the operation dismissed reports of civilian casualties, saying airstrikes were being carried out with precision.
Airstrikes hit an arms depot, military airbase and special forces headquarters in Sana’a early on 29 March. A weapons depot outside Sana’a was destroyed, causing damage to an airport and planes on the ground. Sa’dah and Al Hudaydah were targeted as well. Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, the coalition’s spokesman, said Saudi artillery and Apache attack helicopters were mobilised to “deter” Houthi fighters massing on the border with Saudi Arabia.
On 6 April, airstrikes began before sunset and struck targets in western Sana’a, Sa’dah and the Ad Dali’ Governorate, a supply route for Houthis in the Battle of Aden.
Naval role
Egypt and Saudi Arabia committed warships to support coalition operations. Somalia offered its airspace and territorial waters. Four Egyptian Navy vessels steamed toward the Gulf of Aden after operations began. Riyadh requested access to Somali airspace and waters to carry out operations. On 27 March, the Egyptian military said a squadron of Egyptian and Saudi warships took up positions at the Bab al-Mandab strait. The Saudi military threatened to destroy any ship attempting to make port.
Operation Restoring Hope
On 21 April, the Saudi Defence Ministry declared it was ending the campaign of airstrikes because it had “successfully eliminated the threat” to its security posed by Houthi ballistic and heavy weaponry. It announced the start of a new phase codenamed Operation Restoring Hope. In a televised address, Hadi said the end of airstrikes had come at his request and thanked the Arab coalition for their support.