Mandab, Asiri stated that vessels traffic in international waters is free, noting that all the Yemeni ports and regional waters are under the control of the coalition forces. He confirmed that there is no any hostile measure against the vessels sailing in regional waters with the coalition forces having the right to respond to any attempt to tamper the Yemeni people or provide the Houthi militias with supplies. Asked to confirm reports that Al-Qaeda elements in Hadramout are controlling some military centers, Asiri said Al-Qaeda was actively functioning there even before the start of the storm, noting that the Yemeni government, with a bit poor capabilities, has done its best to confront this organization and managed to throw many of them into prisons. He said the coalition forces is aware of the danger of this development. He denied reports that Iran has requested to evacuate its dependants from Yemen, adding that most of the Iranians residing in Yemen are actually working with the Houthis, in training and equipping and they will receive the same fate. Asked whether there is split in the Houthi rebels, Asiri said this is natural but the coalition forces is dealing with them as one group, regardless of their differences.
