mohamed vall, al jazeera yemen. >>> why he post office the terms of a potential nuclear dl and tom ackerman reports. >> reporter: as in previous appearances, netanyahu received a warm welcome before aipac this time netanyahu took pains to assure that his differences with obama should not misconstrue his rift. >> israel has been a bipartisan issue, israel should remain a bipartisan issue. >> nunls, anonetheless, many are describing this as a tactical mistake. they say he's choosing democrats to choose between israel and obama. u.s. secretary of state john kerry signaled that netanyahu should not leak any specifics of a dale that israel may find are unacceptable. >> we are concerned about reports that suggest that details of the ongoing negotiations will be discussed publicly in the coming days. i want to say clearly that doing so will make it more difficult to reach the goal that israel and others say they share in order to get a good deal. >> while obama will not meet netanyahu here they say it should not be exaggerated. >> it's been a distraction. negotiators are going full speed ahead. wh

yemen's are is minister have arrived in aden p mohamed vall. what's the status of that meet? >> a functional government is what president hadi is hoping for. it may be postponed until tomorrow or after tomorrow, because some of the ministers have not arrived. at least eight are confirmed. two or three are understood to be arriving today. one of the difficulties, not only the rival of all the ministers, the defense minister who arrived two days ago hasn't been eager to meet with hadi, has said he is very tired and may not be sustaining the meeting. another he escaped from sanaa and left the houthis. >> obviously defense security in the region is a great concern. we have heard of growing tensions in the aden area and this being exacerbated by the words of the former president. >> reporter: exactly. for a few days now hadi has been trying to remove the head of the special forces brigade in sanaa, but the men has refused categorically. so this is another great challenge for president hadi here right at his doorstep, refusing to leave his office. he has about 2,000 men very much f

mohamed vall has met some of the field commanders. >> these are the men in charge of law and order in southern yemen. patrolling the city fors but now they have replaced all regular security personnel. >> i think popular committees have become a key factor of security and stability. they were able to deviet terrorists more effectively than entire communities and governments. >> reporter: the popular communities now guard the airports and all public institutions. >> translator: we welcome the committees among us because they are very useful. we had a lot of weaknesses and they helped us tremendously especially in matters of crime and weapons. >> reporter: president hadi, they are said to have shown feacht efficiency and that'sefficiency. >> later on in abian and some northern province he. we can't let the same thing happen in aden. >> reporter: but regarding security in the north the popular committee's commanders, antihadi offensive. >> we welcome president hadi but we're not willing to go with him to the north to fight the houthis. >> reporter: some say it is not their fight. >> we w

mohamed vall is following for aden. so the meeting has been detained. what is the results? >> it is a reflection of the difficulties some of the ministers are already here. eight of them confirmed to be here in aden. a few others are on their way to the city. the problem he is facing here is not only the fact that he doesn't have yet the full number at least half of the cabinet, 15 are expected to be here. that's about the number of ministers who refused to work with the government, said they want to work with hadi. i understand some are still being kept under house arrest, the prime minister himself. he lives in his house not far from aden, he has not get met with president hadi. he is not willing actually to meet with hadi or attend this meeting. it is not clear why he has these differences with hadi, it is a tremendous problem for hadi because this poarn is person is respected in the army, and his refusal to attend this meeting is a huge problem. >> we hear the u.n. envoy to yemen is on his way there. >> yeah, that reconfirms that the reports we have during the last few

our correspondent mohamed vall has been to meet some of those protecting the president's interests. >porter: these are the men in charge of law and order in southern yemen. the popular committees militia has been patrolling the city for months, but now they have replaced all regular security personnel. >> translator: i think the popular committees have become a key factor of security and stability. they were able to defeat terrorists more efficiently than entire countries and governments. >> reporter: on the president's orders the popular committees now guard the presidential come poundings, airports and all public institutions. >> translator: we welcome the committees among us because they are very useful. we had a lot of weaknesses, and they helped us tremendously. >> reporter: the popular committees were created in 2012 by president hadi and the purpose was to help fight against al-qaeda in one province. they are said to have shown efficiency and had some success, and that's why the president relies on them now for his own protection and give security in the city of aden. >> report

mohammed vall joins us on the phone from the southern port city of aden. mmed, have you any more details about this escape? >> reporter: qual. >> >>. >> reporter: not much. the howthies were sounded how. they have stormed the house during the last couple of hours trying to find him. so they lost touch with him and we understand he has -- actually, it's not under house arrest f mainly because the houthis appointed him as the head of the high security area and he showed signs of cooperation with him. nobody knows if that's just a kind of ploy by him so that probably they could lighten their movements and so on. so, he was acting cooperating with him, the minister of defense and they treated him with that respect. so we've got a report that he was invited by one of the other ministers for lunch and then he did not go back to his house and the houthis noted his absence and stormed the house. it's not clear if he has made it to aden. the understanding is that he is trying to reach aden and join the president. a prominent military leader the minister of defense d

mohamed vall al jazeera. >>> let's here now from gerald tan which takes a closer look at which nationsport the saudi-lead campaign in yemen. >> reporter: the air strikes on houthi positions in yemen began early on thursday. saudi arabia is leading this campaign. it has an estimated 100 fighter jets conducting the air strikes. and 150,000 saudi soldiers are standing by near the yemeni border. the operation is supported by a brood corigs, four other gulf states have lent air support with additional fighter jets. you see the breakdown here. morocco, jordan and sudan have also contributed. egypt has sent four ships through the red sea to help secure the gulf of aden. this strategic shipping lane is vital in the global oil route. egypt has awls said it will be ready to take part in a ground offensive with sudan and jordan pledging the same. now the united states says it is providing advisory and logistical help but there's no indication still if it will allow saudi planes to use its air base just across a strip of water to the south of yemen. it's unclear how long this air campaign will con

mohamed vall has the latest. >> reporter: this is a show of support for the saudi arabia-lead air strikesn the houthi rebels. the city fell to houthis earlier this week. popular protests like these against their presence have continued. but there's a different scene in the capitol sana'a which is under houthi control. houthi supporters there march to protest against the strikes. saudi arabia says it has launched the air strikes in yemen with the aim of reversing the houthi coup and restoring legitimacy. >> abide by the process, or they will not -- but they certainly will not be allowed to take over the country. >> reporter: operation decisive storm started in the early morning hours of thursday. they have the aim of reversing the houthi coup and restoring legitimacy in yemen. reports suggest 100 jets were involved in the air strikes. the saudis say they have only targeted houthi military positions in strategic locations around the country. they say they want to restore yemen's deposed government. at least four other gulf nations have joined the campaign. they say they have sent fighter je

mohamed vall sent this update. >> reporter: former president saleh is very clearly aiming for a strongcomeback to the political scene this he probably doesn't want to be president again, but he has his son. and we have seen thousands rallying for his son to run for president. we have seen loyalists showing their presence and power. here in aden a general refused hadi's orders for him to move from his post and be replaced. abdullah abdullah saleh has said that hadi is a separatists and he should leave. he compared the situation to the civil war. >> translator: the people cannot afford to eat or drink, you have suspended their salaries brought their livelihood to stand still. investment to halt and tourism too. is this what you call the modern civil state where universities and schools are ruined. they are liars. liars. >>> ivory coasters former first lady has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for her role in post-election violence. she was given double the sentence prosecutors had asked for. more than 3,000 people died in fighting that began when her husband refused to step down in 201

we begin our coverage with this report from mohamed vall. >> reporter: the operation started in the earlyours of thursday. saudi arabia said it launched air strikes against the houthi rebels with -- [ audio lost ] >> well a retired jordanian general says air strikes will be part of a much-wider campaign. >> this campaign it will -- it may have -- it may build for many, many steps. first of all the air raids have to continue for days or sometimes weeks, until it achieves the main targets, but with the air raids, i think there is a real need to make a siege on the sea ports to prevent any iranian ships which give a hand to the houthis. there i think it will be done and used by -- performed by the special force to come to some critical spots because the very complicated geography of yemen, there's a real need for using the special force. and after that if there is a need to send boots on the ground i think we have to make a new estimation to decide they will sit or not. in my opinion i think they will not need initially, but no one can be surely they will send or not. >> for months the advan

mohammed vall has more from aden where the president is now based. today, the official announcement of the decision to open this line the official news agency now under howhouthi control described this as an implementation of the recommendations of houthi himself. the houthis have opened this line and at the same time sentence high ranking delegation for the first time and they announced it in the past they sent people to iran but they did not announce it. now, it is officially described as a government delegation. actually, it is headed by the head of the polit bureau in the houthi movement going to discuss regulations between the countries according to the statement here the decision has been criticized by president hadi. he described it as illegal and void. he said he sent a message to the reinian authorities saying they should reference this decision because it is not legal. also president had tive. in aden described it as what is now under houthi occupation and he said every effort should be done to reverse the situation and oust the ho

let's speak to mohamed vall who spent a lot of time reporting from and in yemen and is following allf this for us. he is with us at the studio. what do you make of what the coalition spokesman was saying in his press briefing which happened some 45 minutes ago, particularly when he was saying that no one within yemen will be allowed to assist hewthy righters but no one outside either. >> yeah, he's talking about iran but he hasn't mentioned it by name. iran is the only likely country that may likely try to channel help to the houthis. before the beginning of these operations. iran was building an airport in sana'a for the houthis, and also iran has opened direct flights, daily daily flights between tehran and sana'a without the approval of the government. so iran was already there. and they sent ships sometimes with oil, and sometimes allegedly with weapons. so he's talking about iran. and there is much difference between talking about acting. iran has been exercising at sea and not far from the port of aden, and when it comes to real action if iran wants to intervene it will be a se

and let's kick off our coverage with this report from mohamed vall. >> reporter: this is a show of supportsaudi-lead air strikes. the city fell to houthis earlier this week. popular protests like these against their prosense have continued but there's a different scene in the capitol sana'a. houthi supporters march against the air strikes. >> the choice is very simple. they abide by this process and become legitimate players in yemenese politics but they certainly won't be allowed to take over the country. >> reporter: saudi arabia said it had launched air strikes against the houthi rebels with the aim of reversing the houthi coup. reports suggest 100 yets from saudi arabia and the gulf coalition were involved in the air strikes. the saudis say they have only targeted houthi military positions in strategic locations around the country. they say they want to restore yemen's deposed government. at least four other gulf nations have joined the campaign. they have sent fighter jets to saudi arabia for this purpose. egypt has also expressed its readiness to join. the u.s. which is in the middle

mohamed vall has been to meet some of those protecting the president's interests. >> reporter: theseen in charge of law and order in southern yemen. they have been patrolling the city for months but now they have replaced all regular security personnel. >> translator: i think the popular committees have become a key factor of security and stability. they were able to defeat terrorists more efficients than entire governments. >> reporter: the popular committees now guard the presidential compounds. >> translator: we welcome the committees among us because they are very useful. they helped us tremendously especially in matters of crime and illegal weapons. >> reporter: the committees were formed in 2012 by president hadi. they are said to have shown efficiency and made some success, and that's why the president relies on them now for his own protection and to keep security in the city of aden. >> translator: we saw the aggression that look place in sana'a and some northern provinces. we can't let the same thing happen in aden. >> reporter: but regarding security in the north, the popul

memo -- mohamed vall is following the developments for us. >> reporter: former president saleh is caming comeback. probably he doesn't want to become president again, but he has his son. we have seen thousands rallying for his son to run for president in the next elections in yemen. we have seen also loyalists to saleh everywhere around the country showing their presence and power. one of them is here in aden, a general who refused hadi's orders for him to be removed from his post and be replaced. he said he destroyed the country, he said he is a separatists and he should leave. he actually compelled the situation to 1994 when the civil war took place for yemen because the south decided to succeed. and listen now to some of the justifications he expressed. >> translator: the people cannot afford to either drink. you have gobbled up their dues. suspended their salaries. brought their livelihood to stand still. investment to a halt and tourism too. is this what you call the modern civil state where universities faculties and schools are ruined. we ruined them all and claim it to be a moder