Saudi Arabia has launched air strikes in Yemen against Shia Houthi rebels, the Saudi ambassador in the US has said.
Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia acted to "defend the legitimate government" of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.
Supporters of President Hadi say that they recaptured Aden airport on Thursday after heavy fighting with forces allied to Houthi fighters.
The Iran-backed rebels have made rapid gains in recent months. They have forced Mr Hadi to flee the capital Sanaa.
Meanwhile Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi rebel, warned that the Saudi operation amounted to an aggression against Yemen and could set off a "wide war" in the region, according to Reuters news agency.
Saudi Arabia is supplying 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers for the operation, Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported on Thursday.
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