Saudi Arabia launches air strikes in Yemen, sparking fears of a 'wide war' in the region

People seek shelter during a gunfire at an army base in Yemen's southern port city of Adem yesterday Credit: Reuters

Saudi Arabia has launched air strikes against Houthi fighters in Yemen, the Saudi ambassador in the US has announced.

The country's rare military operation came as the Sunni kingdom vowed to do "anything necessary" to restore "the legitimate government of Yemen" after the Iranian-backed rebels forced the president to flee his compound in the capital Sanaa yesterday.

Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir said his government had consulted closely with the US and other allies, but said the US military was not involved in the operations.

Saudi Ambassador to the US Adel Al-Jubeir speaks about Saudi Arabia carrying out air strikes in Yemen Credit: Reuters

Nine other countries have joined the military coalition, he said, but declined to name to name them.

Foreign ships have been warned from approaching Yemeni ports, the Saudi-owned al-Hadath television channel said.

A senior leader of Yemen's Houthi movement warned that the strikes would set off a "wide war" in the region.

"There is an aggression underway on Yemen and we will confront it valiantly," Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis politburo, told the Doha-based al Jazeera television.

"Military operations will drag the region to a wide war."