SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen will continue until Houthi rebels “withdraw and surrender their weapons,” a summit of Arab leaders decided on Sunday. Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al-Araby read a final communique of the summit outlining the leaders' views. “Yemen was on the brink of the abyss, requiring effective Arab and international moves after all means of reaching a peaceful resolution have been exhausted to end the Houthi coup and restore legitimacy,” Al-Araby said. Yemen's foreign minister on Sunday ruled out any dialogue with Houthi rebels until President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi's government retakes full control of the country. Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin said there could be “no negotiations and dialogue until the legitimate government has control over all Yemeni lands.” “Any party that wants to talk about dialogue has to first give up weapons seized from bases and return them to the state,” he told Egyptian state television in an interview. Hadi said that the Saudi-led intervention against the Houthis should continue until the rebels surrender and their leaders face justice. GCC Secretary-General Abdullateef Al-Zayani said at the summit that the operation will continue till Houthis surrender their weapons and withdraw from the cities they have captured. Yemen's Foreign Minister Riad Yassin said the air campaign, codenamed Operation Decisive Storm, had prevented the rebels from using planes they seized to attack Yemeni cities or to using missiles to attack neighboring Saudi Arabia. It also stopped Iran's supply line to the rebels, he said. Yassin said political dialogue will only happen after the Houthis surrender the weapons. — Agencies
