The deposed Yemeni President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi will attend the Arab League Summit on 28 and 29 March in Sharm El-Shiekh, an Arab League spokesperson confirmed Friday. Meanwhile, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received a phone call from his Saudi Arabian counterpart King Salman bin Abdel Aziz expressing his "gratitude" for Egypt's support in the attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, a presidential statement said. Al-Sisi told the King that the Gulf's security is a "red line" and that it is a part of Egypt's own national security. Meanwhile, Chief of the Arab League Nabil Al-Araby announced Thursday that the Arab ministers agreed to form a united Arab armed force to "counter regional threats".
An Arab League source further said all Arab states attending the summit are in support of military intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday that it will begin airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. Since then, Saudi Arabia, backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and ten other countries, has bombed Sanaa's International Airport, as well as other locations in the capital. The United States also said that it will back Saudi Arabia with intelligence sources. However, the airstrikes have killed dozens of civilians including children, international rights organisations said. Egypt said on Thursday that it will provide naval and aerial support in the operation and may send forces on the ground "if necessary". Egypt added that it is intervening for the sake of the "stability and security" of Yemen and in defence of the "legitimate" president. Yemen affairs are expected to dominate discussions in the upcoming Arab League Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. Yemeni Foreign Minister Riad Yassin also expressed support for the military operation against the Houthis who displaced president Mansour Hadi last month. Yemeni protesters held demonstrations on Friday against what they called "Saudi-American" intervention, according to reports from inside Yemen.
