SAUDI Arabia has launched air strikes on Shiite Muslim rebels in northern Yemen and is moving its troops nearer the border after a raid into its territory by the insurgents.
Saudi government officials said the air force bombed Yemeni rebels who had seized a border area inside the country. It had since been recaptured and at least 40 rebels killed. However, a Saudi government adviser said the country's military had hit
targets inside Yemen itself.
The Yemeni government – which has long dismissed accusations by rebels that it has colluded with Saudi Arabia to combat them – denied Saudi planes had struck across the border.
Saudi Arabia has become increasingly anxious about instability and militancy in Yemen, which is also facing separatist sentiment in the south and a growing threat from resurgent al-Qaeda fighters.
The government adviser said: "As of yesterday late afternoon, Saudi air strikes began on (the rebels'] positions in northern Yemen.
"There have been successive air strikes, very heavy bombardment of their positions, not just on the border, but on their main positions around Saada ( capital of the northern province where rebels have been battling government forces since August]."
Al-Jazeera television quoted a rebel spokesman as saying the Saudi air force had hit six locations inside Yemen. One site had been hit by about 100 missiles in one hour.
The Shiite rebels, known as Houthis after the family of their leader, say they are fighting political, economic and religious marginalisation by Yemen's central government. They have accused Saudi Arabia of backing Yemen's armed forces.
A Houthi statement said the raids had caused civilian casualties, but gave no details.
Saudi Arabia said one of its security officers had been killed and 11 wounded on Wednesday in an attack by gunmen who had crossed the border from Yemen – the first reported incursion since the long-running Houthi revolt flared up again.
There were reports that a second soldier died later.
The Saudi government adviser said no decision had yet been taken to send troops across the border, but he made clear Riyadh was no longer prepared to tolerate the Yemeni rebels.
"After what happened yesterday, it is clear they have lost track of reality, and it has got to a point where there is no other way. They have got to be finished," he said.
The rebels said on Wednesday they had taken control of the Jabal al-Dukhan area after defeating Saudi forces there.
They claimed Saudi Arabia was allowing the Yemeni army to use the mountainous area to launch attacks against them, and said they would take action if this continued.
The 930-mile border with Yemen is a security worry for the Saudis, who are building a hi-tech border fence to prevent infiltration.
