Yemen's president arrives in Saudi Arabia

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Raw: Video of airstrike damage in Yemen Saudi Arabia began airstrikes against rebels in Yemen. Video from rebels in Yemen appeared to show devastation on the ground, including damaged buildings and cars. (March 26)

Yemen's embattled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi arrived Thursday in the capital of Saudi Arabia, a day after fleeing his country by boat, Saudi state TV reported.

Al-Ekhbariya TV reported that Hadi arrived at an air base in Riyadh and was met by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Mohammed, the son of King Salman.

Hadi's arrival comes as Saudi Arabia and its allies launched airstrikes in Yemen, against Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, who have taken over much of the country and driven out the president

Egyptian military and security officials told the Associated Press that the military intervention will go further, with a ground assault into Yemen by Egyptian, Saudi and other forces, planned once airstrikes have weakened the capabilities of the rebels.

The strikes before dawn barraged an air base near the airport in the capital, Sanaa, as well as anti-aircraft positions and military bases — and flattened a number of homes near the airport, killing at least 18 civilians, the AP reported.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed support for the airstrikes in a conference call with Gulf foreign ministers and said the U.S. shared intelligence against Houthi targets, according to a State Department official traveling with Kerry in Lausanne, Switzerland, the AP said.

Iran, which is allied to the Houthis, denounced the bombing and noted the civilian deaths. Iran's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that airstrikes in Yemen are a "dangerous step."

Houthi rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi angrily accused the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel of launching a "criminal, unjust, brutal and sinful" campaign aimed at invading and occupying Yemen.

"Yemenis won't accept such humiliation," he said in a televised speech Thursday night, calling the Saudis "stupid" and "evil."

The Saudi offensive, which began late Wednesday and is supported by nine regional allies, came as the country pledged to protect its neighbor from Iran-backed Shiite rebels.

In a statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said the country "condemns the airstrikes against Yemen this morning that left some innocent Yemenis wounded and dead and considers this action a dangerous step," the AP reported. "This invasion will bear no result but expansion of terrorism and extremism throughout the whole region."

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya network reported that Saudi Arabia has deployed 150,000 troops and 100 fighter jets.

Hadi, Yemen's internationally recognized president, fled by boat Wednesday as Houthis advanced to take the southern port city of Aden, where he took refuge last month after escaping house arrest in Sanaa.