Yemen
A Yemeni walks past a vehicle which was damaged the day before during an air strike by Saudi-led coalition warplanes on the nearby base on Fajj Attan hill on April 21, 2015 in the capital Sanaa. At least 38 civilians were killed in explosions that followed the air strike on the base on Fajj Attan hill that belongs to the missile brigade of the elite Republican Guard, which remains loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Getty

Saudi Arabia has announced to end its coalition military operations in Yemen on Tuesday 21 April after over three weeks of targeting Houthi rebels.

A statement on Saudi state-owned Arabiya TV said operation 'Decisive Storm' had met all its military goals in Yemen.

A new operation dubbed 'Restoring Hope' is set to begin now with a mission to ensure security, tackle terrorism and find a political solution in Yemen, read the statement.

The coalition has completed the 'Decisive Storm' campaign at the request of the Yemeni government and the President of Yemen. The primary goals of the campaign have been achieved... Houthis are no longer a threat to Yemenis or neighbouring countries. The Yemeni government will now undertake all necessary actions to start rebuilding the country.
- Ahmed al-Assiri, Brigadier-General

"The coalition has completed the 'Decisive Storm' campaign at the request of the Yemeni government and the President of Yemen," said Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Assiri, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesperson.

"The primary goals of the campaign have been achieved and sovereignty has been protected. We are able to confirm that the Houthis are no longer a threat to Yemenis or neighbouring countries.

"The Yemeni government will now undertake all necessary actions to start rebuilding the country."

Assiri added the coalition will still continue a naval blockade on Yemen.

The announcement comes as Riyadh earlier said that it was sending its elite National Guard, the country's most equipped military, to reinforce its border with Yemen.

The cost of war

Meanwhile, air strikes on Tuesday 21 April reportedly resulted in the loss of over 30 lives, most of them civilians.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the death toll from the violence in Yemen is reaching 1,000 and the country's healthcare system faces collapse if fighting continues.

"Major hospitals will soon be completely unable to provide humanitarian and emergency services or to perform operations and provide intensive care to needy patients," the WHO said in a statement, reported Al Jazeera.

"This increases the risk of communicable diseases such as measles, which is prevalent in Yemen, as well as polio, which has been eliminated but is now at risk of reappearing."

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