Saudi-led operation in Yemen ‘not seeking a war’

April 7, 2015

Riyadh, Apr 7: The Council of Ministers on Monday said that the Saudi-led operation in Yemen has the support of Yemenis in the Kingdom and the international community because it seeks to restore the legitimate government and bring peace and stability to that war-torn nation.

The weekly meeting was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

It noted the heroic efforts of the coalition forces in neutralizing the military capacity of the Houthi militants, said Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi.

Saudi Arabia appreciates the support of the Yemeni community for Operation Decisive Storm.

The ministers said the coalition does not seek a war but wants to protect the Yemeni people.

This is why the operation has been hailed by Arab and Islamic nations, and the wide international community, said Al-Toraifi.

The Cabinet also expressed hope that the nuclear framework agreement struck with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, recently would ensure the safety and security of the region.

It said the Kingdom and the Arab League support nations wanting to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in line with the standards and procedures of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The aim would be to create a region free of all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, said Al-Toraifi.

The Cabinet stressed that the security in the region requires a commitment to the principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

The ministers also welcomed the announcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it formally accepted the State of Palestine as a full member.

They believe that Palestine’s accession to the ICC would help restore the rights of the Palestinians.

According to Al-Toraifi, the Council of Ministers again called on the international community to end the “Syrian tragedy which has become a humanitarian catastrophe.”

The meeting was inaugurated by Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, emir of Kuwait, who said the Kingdom has spared no effort in providing assistance to Syrian refugees. He said Saudi aid to the Syrian people since 2011 has exceeded $600 million.

The Council of Ministers welcomed the announcement by Moody’s credit rating agency to rank the Kingdom at a high Aa3, and the Fitch credit rating of AA, which both foresee a stable future for the Kingdom.

This was a result of the Kingdom’s economic policies, which has enabled it to counter global financial crises, the Cabinet said.

The Cabinet also condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the University of Garissa, in Kenya, and expressed its condolences to the government and people of Kenya, and the families of the victims.

King Salman briefed the Cabinet on the results of his talks with various leaders who visited Saudi Arabia recently, including the Senegal president, and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The king also received various calls, including from the US president, and leaders of Sudan, India, Afghanistan and Britain.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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