As Western diplomats and staff fled Yemen on Wednesday, concern widened over the increasing turmoil in the impoverished nation, with Saudi Arabia arming loyal tribesmen across its southern border and Egypt readying a military unit to intervene if needed.
The U.S., British and French moved to close their embassies, signaling a belief that conditions in Yemen would only deteriorate further as the rebels, who have taken over in nearly half the provinces, try to expand their control.
In a show of bravado, the rebels seized about 20 vehicles left by U.S. diplomats and Marines at Sanaa’s airport, officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press. The Americans evacuated after destroying documents and heavy weapons at the embassy.
The rebels also seized weapons found in the U.S. vehicles, the officials added — apparently referring to personal sidearms that the Pentagon said the Marines left behind because they could not take them on their departing commercial flight.
The Marine Corps said in a statement Wednesday that those sidearms were destroyed with sledgehammers at the airport before the Marines departed.
While Yemen has been in chaos for years, events took a dramatic new turn when the rebels, known as Houthis and suspected of being backed by Iran, took over the capital last fall and have spread over more of the country.
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“They won’t have a friendly environment in the south,” said Baraa Shiban, a Yemeni analyst. “Any attempt by the Houthis to take over the south will lead to secession.”
Houthis have captured territory largely because of deals with provincial powers and massive help from army and police units loyal to Saleh. Effective battlefield resistance against their advances might finally come in Marib or in the south.
“The Houthis are spoiling for a fight, thinking that a battlefield victory will grant them a measure of legitimacy,” said Sarah Gamal, a Yemeni political activist. “So far, they have just been assaulting peaceful protesters in Sanaa and elsewhere who reject their rule.”
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Hendawi reported from Cairo. Associated Press reporters Sagar Megani in Washington, Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran, and Adam Scheck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
