Yemeni Government: The “Decisive Storm” Operation Prevented the Country from Becoming an Iranian Threat Platform

Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:

The Yemeni government affirmed on Thursday that Operation “Decisive Storm,” launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and coalition countries on March 26, 2015, played a decisive role in preventing Yemen from being turned into an Iranian threat platform and in preserving regional security and vital maritime corridors.

The Yemeni government considered this operation a pivotal moment in modern Yemeni history and a strategic turning point that prevented the Yemeni state from falling entirely under the influence of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the serious repercussions that would have resulted for neighboring countries and global trade routes.

This came in a post by Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani on his X account, coinciding with the 11th anniversary of the launch of Operation “Decisive Storm,” led by Saudi Arabia on March 26, 2015.

The Yemeni minister affirmed that this intervention came at a critical moment when the Yemeni state was facing an Iran-backed coup attempt aimed at undermining state institutions and turning Yemen into a forward base within Iran’s regional influence network.

The minister indicated that Operation “Decisive Storm” was an expression of a conscious political will based on an accurate reading of the implications of the situation and an early anticipation of the dangers of the Iranian expansionist project, stressing that subsequent events proved the correctness of that reading, with the escalation of Iran’s hostile activities, whether directly or through its proxies in more than one regional theater.

Al-Eryani pointed out that the operation contributed to achieving several strategic objectives, most notably:

• Preventing the Yemeni state from completely falling into the hands of Iran-linked militias and preserving the legitimate framework of the state and its institutions.
• Liberating 80% of Yemeni territory and securing 90% of the 2,500 km coastline overlooking the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea, in a battle that could have included the capital Sana’a and the city of Hudaidah had it not been for international pressure.
• Breaking the project to turn Yemen into a regional threat platform targeting Gulf countries and vital maritime corridors.
• Restoring the strategic balance in the region and preventing the completion of the geopolitical arc that Iran sought to impose through its armed proxies.
• Revealing the true nature of the Iranian project to the international community as a cross-border project based on destabilization and using proxies as tools of pressure and blackmail.
• Launching a path of political, military, and humanitarian support for the Yemeni state, and preparing the groundwork for restoring its institutions and building its capacities.

Al-Eryani stressed that the anniversary of “Decisive Storm” represents a renewed call to strengthen national unity, continue efforts to restore the state and consolidate its institutions, and confront the threats that still target Yemen and the region, affirming that Yemen’s security is an integral part of the security of its Arab and international surroundings.

The minister also renewed his deep appreciation for the leadership role of Saudi Arabia and the efforts of the countries of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, who stood by the Yemeni people and provided an advanced model of joint Arab action based on responsibility and solidarity.