CAIRO — The Shi'ite rebel movement in Yemen has reported the destruction of three main battle tanks of the Royal Saudi Army.  

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"The rebels said they wanted to repent and join the government," a military source said.

The surrender was said to have taken place on Dec. 4 in Harf Sufyan, scene of the most intense battles between the Shi'ite rebels and the Yemeni military. The field commanders who surrendered were identified as Fares Nasser Al Shahwani and Jamil Al Shahwani.

The Believing Youth has dismissed the Yemeni report. The rebels said they destroyed three U.S.-origin MBTs along the Yemeni border on Dec. 4.

The MBT was not identified. Earlier, Saudi sources said the army was using the U.S.-origin M1A2 Abrams, the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and Humvee combat vehicle.

On Dec. 5, the rebels also reported Saudi air and artillery strikes in the border areas of Mount Doud, Mount Dukhan and Husama. The rebels were said to have used these areas for infiltration of the Saudi border.

The capture was facilitated by the new Saudi border surveillance system along the Yemeni frontier. Riyad has also established a 10-kilometer no-go zone.

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