U.S. Military Planes Cleared to Refuel Saudi Jets Bombing Yemeni Targets
Source: Wall Street Journal
U.S. Military Planes Cleared to Refuel Saudi Jets Bombing Yemeni Targets
Aerial refueling operations won’t happen over Yemen
By Dion Nissenbaum
April 2, 2015 5:36 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Defense Department has cleared the way for American military planes to start refueling Saudi Arabian jets bombing Houthi fighters in Yemen as the U.S. deepens its role in the expanding regional conflict, U.S. defense officials said Thursday.
U.S. Central Command is poised refuel Saudi planes when asked by Saudi forces, but the aerial refueling operations wouldn’t happen over Yemen, American military officials said.
The new American role comes as U.S. surveillance planes over Yemen are providing the Saudi-led military coalition with intelligence to help carry out airstrikes and try to minimize civilian casualties, the officials said.
U.S. officials have been giving Saudi Arabia information on the movement of Houthi rebels near its long border with Yemen, but haven’t been providing them with specific targeting information, said a senior U.S. military official.
Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-military-planes-cleared-to-refuel-saudi-jets-bombing-yemeni-targets-1428010588
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