"They have cleaned up every inch of Saudi territory," Khaled said on
Nov. 28.
Khaled's statement was the first high-level Saudi confirmation that the
Believing Youth had controlled a significant area along the 1,600-kilometer
Saudi-Yemeni border. The Saudi military had claimed to expel the Shi'ite
rebels as early as mid-November.
Officials said the Saudi military was deploying all of its forces to
fight what they said was an Iranian-trained rebel movement. They said Royal
Saudi Air Forces F-15 fighter-jets and Tornado bombers were attacking
suspected Shi'ite rebel strongholds in both Yemen and southern Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces has imposed a blockade of
the northern Yemen coast. Officials said the kingdom was also using special
forces to track Believing Youth in the mountains of northern Yemen.
Khaled, who has unofficially replaced his ailing father as defense
minister, also reported a suspected foreign presence in the Believing Youth.
The deputy minister said Saudi forces have captured 75 Ethiopians and 70
Somalis along the Saudi-Yemeni border.
"Any person who infiltrates or shoots will end up either surrendering
or dead," Khaled said.
