US Remains Committed To Supporting Saudi Arabia Against Threats From Yemen - State Dept. - UrduPoint

The United States remains committed to providing support to Saudi Arabia against threats emanating from Yemen's Houthi rebels despite the fact that Washington suspended sales of munitions to Riyadh, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Monday.

"We have suspended proposed sales of certain air-to-ground munitions (to Saudi Arabia), but we are committed to continuing to support Saudi Arabia to improve its ability to defend its territory against these threats," Price said during a press briefing.

The United States welcomes direct talks between Saudi and Iranian officials aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, Price also said.

Houthi rebels have conducted over 400 cross-border attacks of Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the war and, besides Saudi nationals, have endangered 70,000 of US citizens residing in the country, Price added.

Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces, led by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and the Houthi rebels. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led Arab alliance, working in cooperation with Hadi's forces, has been conducting air, land and sea operations against the Houthis, who control the capital of Sanaa and large areas in northern and western Yemen.