Saudi army and naval special forces are now involved in the military operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen and have carried out specific operations, said a top official.

Army special forces supplied weapons and communications equipment to militia loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the main southern city of Aden, an adviser was quoted as saying by the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Naval special forces provided 'co-ordination and guidance' to enable the loyalist fighters to launch a counter-attack on the rebels.

Special forces 'will continue their engagements' with the fighters loyal to Hadi, who has sought refuge in Saudi Arabia, said the adviser.

A Saudi-led coalition began air strikes on March 26 against the Iran-backed rebels, but says it has no plans for now to deploy ground forces.

The adviser said army and navy special forces were also involved in operations against Houthi units that 'invaded' Myun Island in the Bab Al Mandab Strait, through which much of the world's maritime trade passes.

The coalition announced earlier that air strikes had destroyed 'military equipment and missiles' on the island, which could have posed a threat to shipping.

'Special forces have isolated the island as the operation continues to destroy all remnants of Houthi presence' which was supported by 'foreign military' technicians, the Saudi adviser said.

Iran has dismissed as 'utter lies' claims that it supplied weapons to Yemen, but a Western diplomat said 'there have been a lot of shipments'.

Meanwhile, former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh has reportedly fled the country aboard a Russian plane that arrived in Sana'a to evacuate Russian diplomats, Asharq Al Awsat newspaper quoted Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyad Yassin as saying. – TradeArabia News Service