US supports UAE bombing of Hadi forces

SANA'A - A US official has stated that the United Arab Emirates "has the right to make choices and defend its interests as it sees fit, whether in Yemen or elsewhere."

"The United States stands with the UAE as a strategic ally against extremist groups and to maintain regional security and stability in the region," the US official told Al Hurra news channel.

The UAE admitted late on Thursday that it had bombed Hadi’s forces in Aden, saying it was "in the interest of the coalition."

The UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement that its warplanes had targeted “terrorist militias based on confirmed information that these forces were targeting the coalition, which required a direct response to avoid any military threat.”

According to the statement, the UAE said “the air strikes have been carried out precisely" and reiterated that it "will not hesitate to protect the Arab coalition forces when necessary.”

According to the statement of the UAE Foreign Ministry, “Intelligence agencies have spotted in the past few weeks that terrorist cells starting to operate in the Yemeni areas, which effectively threatens the great efforts made by the coalition to eliminate the threat of terrorism in Yemen, as well as efforts to counter Houthis.”

The government of Hadi however has accused the UAE of launching raids on its own forces in the southern provinces, where fighting is taking place with the militias of the Southern Transitional Council, backed by the UAE, and Hadi loyalists who have Saudi support.

Hadi’s government condemned the aerial bombing by the United Arab Emirates of its forces in Aden and Zinjubar, which resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians and military forces.