Saudi Arabia and Egypt are considering holding "large-scale" military exercises after launching air strikes on Yemeni rebels who have been slapped with a UN arms embargo and sanctions.
In a possible sign the Saudi-led air campaign against the Shiite rebels may expand into a ground operation, Cairo said it and Riyadh were mulling the drills in Saudi Arabia with other Gulf countries participating.
"It was decided to form a joint military committee to look into a large-scale strategic manoeuvre on Saudi territory," Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's office said late today after he met the Saudi defence minister.
Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Arab countries launched the air strikes on March 26, after the Iran-backed rebels seized the capital Sanaa last year and advanced on the main southern city of Aden, where President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi had taken refuge.
Hadi fled to Riyadh from Aden, which has since seen heavy fighting between pro- and anti-government forces, with overnight rebel attacks killing at least seven people.
Saudi Arabia has accused Tehran -- the main Shiite power -- of arming the rebels and the conflict has heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani insisted that the Islamic republic is not seeking regional dominance.
His country's "ultimate goal is not Iran's domination of the region (or) the dominance of the Shiite on Sunni," he said.
"For us there is no difference between the Shiites and the Sunnis, Turks, Arabs, Persians or Baluchis," Rouhani said in a speech in the Caspian Sea city of Rasht.
World powers united against the rebels today, with the UN Security Council voting to impose an arms embargo on them and hitting their leaders with sanctions.
The UN resolution -- the first formal action taken by the Security Council since the start of the Saudi-led raids -- demands the Huthis withdraw from Sanaa and all other areas they have seized.
