Speaking in an interview with FNA, Mawry said, “Yemeni fighters have entered Saudi territory and they have taken Saudi military sites in Najran, and Jazan. They have also used these areas to conduct a number of attacks on Saudi military sites in the southern region. The Yemeni army is able to carry out ballistic missile attacks… Their defense system has failed in repelling the majority of Ansarallah drone and ballistic missile attacks.”
“Ansarallah’s Islamic ideology obliges them to "liberate" the city of Mecca from the Saudis. This war that Saudi Arabia started is giving Ansarallah the justification they need to launch a campaign in the near future to oust the Saudi regime from power and take over Mecca,” he added.
Yousef Mawry is an American-Yemeni award-wining journalist, and political commentator based in the US state of Michigan.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Q: How do you view the Yemeni army's achievement in targeting different places from inside Saudi soil? Why is the Saudi army unable to repel such attacks?
A: Yemeni fighters have entered Saudi territory and they have taken Saudi military sites in Najran, and Jazan. They have also used these areas to conduct a number of attacks on Saudi military sites in the southern region. The Yemeni army is able to carry out ballistic missile attacks because as it turns out Saudi Arabia never imagined it would be in a situation where it would have to depend on its air defense system. And although the Saudi air defense system has been able to intercept some aerial attacks, their defense system has failed in repelling the majority of Ansarallah drone and ballistic missile attacks. Saudi Arabia has failed to repel the majority of Yemeni missile attacks because the US-made Patriot Missile Defense system that Saudi Arabia depends on is just not that reliable. Although Saudi Arabia is able to repel some Yemeni missile attacks, it cannot intercept all as empirically proven.
Q: How do the people in Saudi Arabia react to the attacks, especially if they come to this understanding that more of the same attacks will be conducted in the future?
A: I think Saudis in general are growing concerned each day. They never imaged that the Kingdom would be targeted by Ansarallah drone and ballistic missile attacks. Many Saudis today are concerned with the Saudi crown prince for dragging Saudi Arabia into this unprecedented situation. There is legit concern from Saudis and the Saudi government that Ansarallah could and will attempt to topple the Saudi regime from power and take over Mecca. The majority of Saudis want this war to stop now because they see the threat that Yemen poses to the Kingdom. Ansarallah’s Islamic ideology obliges them to "liberate" the city of Mecca from the Saudis. This war that Saudi Arabia started is giving Ansarallah the justification they need to launch a campaign in the near future to oust the Saudi regime from power and take over Mecca.
Q: Why has the proposal by the US Administration to hold negotiations between Sana'a and Riyadh failed to produce any changes in the behavior of the aggressor?
A: This is because Ansarallah in Yemen is and will continue to refuse any deal or negotiations offered while the country is suffering from a strangling blockade and airstrikes. Because of Ansarallah's military achievements on the ground, they are in a position of power and they do not need to negotiate under the US and Saudi terms. Ansarallah has said they will only negotiate when the blockade is lifted and the coalition airstrikes stop. If the blockade is not lifted and the airstrikes on Yemen continue Ansarallah has no issue with continuing the battle on the ground as they are gaining territory with each passing day. Saudi Arabia on the other hand is losing militarily, losing public opinion, and is now starting to bleed economically as Ansarallah continues to target Saudi oil facilities. Also, Saudi Arabia's last stronghold of Mared province will fall to Ansarallah and that will be the end of Saudi influence in Northern Yemen.
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