Saudi Arabia along with other Gulf states launched late Wednesday a military offensive against Yemen, the Saudi ambassador to the United States announced from Washington.

Saudi Arabia along with other Gulf states launched late Wednesday a military offensive against Yemen, the Saudi ambassador to the United States announced from Washington.

Al-Manar correspondent in Yemen reported that 20 civilians, including children were martyred in the assault.

The reports added that the revolutionary committee called on Yemenis to demonstrate against the offensive.

AFP news agency earlier quoted a civil defense source as saying that the death toll of the attack reached 13 civilians.

"Thirteen civilians, including women and children, were killed in the Saudi raids overnight," the source told AFP. Witnesses said residents were helping civil defence officials to search for any more victims under the rubble of seven houses damaged in the raids.

Saudi Declares War
Saudi envoy to US Adel al-Jubeir said that a coalition of 10 countries, including five Gulf monarchies, had been set up to protect the government of former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi whose whereabouts are unknown after reportedly fleeing the country earlier in the day.

"The operation is to defend the legitimate government," al-Jubeir told reporters in a rare news conference at the Saudi embassy in Washington.
Jubeir added that the current situation in Yemen “is not an option" for Riyadh, saying the operation began at 7 p.m. Eastern Time (2300 GMT).

Warplanes of the Royal Saudi Air Force reportedly bombed the positions of the Ansarullah revolutionaries- who are also called Houthis- and launched attacks against the Sana'a airport and the Dulaimi airbase early on Thursday.

The airstrikes also targeted the residential Nasr complex in northern Sana’a killing dozens civilians including children, according to reports.

The Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has deployed "100 fighter jets, 150,000 soldiers and other navy units" for the military campaign in Yemen.

The coalition which Jubeir talked about includes Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE along with Saudi Arabia. They announced in a statement that they "have decided to answer the call of Hadi to protect Yemen and his people from the aggression of the Houthi militia".

Saudi-Led Coalition
For their part, Egypt, Jordan and Sudan confirmed their participation in the coalition which aimed at striking the Yemeni territories.

On the other hand, Riyadh said it has halted flights at seven airports near the Yemeni border on Thursday.

"The General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia announced a temporary suspension of international and domestic flights to and from airports in the south of the kingdom," from dawn on Thursday, the department said in a statement.

Flights have been halted at Jazan, Abha, Wadi al-Dawasir, Bisha, Sharurah, Najran, and Al-Baha "until further notice."