Wipe out Iranian influence in Yemen: Foreign Minister

Paris

--

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa on Thursday called for a ground offensive "to eliminate the Iranian influence" in Yemen.

In an interview with France's Le Figaro newspaper, he commented: "We need to be present on the ground to obtain the application of U.N. Resolution 2216 and the return of the legitimate authority to power." "We must be sure that we completely eliminate the Iranian influence and that of their Huthi allies."

Bahrain is part of an Arab coalition that since March has been striking from the air at the Shia Huthi rebels in a bid to restore legitimacy in Yemen.

The Minister said it was necessary to send in ground troops because "we cannot continue to come under attack from missiles".

He also conceded that the coalition's air strikes were causing "collateral victims," so a new approach was needed in a conflict that has cost the lives of more than 4,500 people. (AFP)