DUBAI \u2014\u00a0One hundred and fifty-two coalition soldiers are feared dead after a short range ballistic missile strike hit a coalition base at the strategic Bab al-Mandab region in the south, a coalition source told Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among\u00a0the dead in the attack, which took place Monday afternoon, was the commander of the Saudi Special Forces, Col.\u00a0Abdullah Al Sahyan, the source confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So far, nine Emirati soldiers, seven Moroccans and 23 Saudis have been identified,” the source added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The missile strike was conducted by OTR-21 Tochka mobile missile launch system for short range ballistic missiles, the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Saudi-led Arab coalition also\u00a0in Yemen <\/span>announced Monday that the planned cease-fire in the country will start at 12:00 midday, Sanaa time, 9:00 am GMT, on Tuesday, Dec.\u00a015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The coalition reserves its right to respond to any breach of the seven-day truce which is renewable on December 21 in case of compliance by the other party (the Houthis)”, according to a statement by the command, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The command of the coalition reaffirmed commitment to supporting the Yemeni people and their internationally recognized legitimate <\/span>government, and contributing to the efforts aiming to reach a political settlement to the Yemeni crisis, SPA reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision to declare a ceasefire came in response to an initiative contained in a letter by Yemeni President Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the statement pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truce takes effect in synchronization with the UN-sponsored peace talks between the legitimate<\/span> government, on one hand, and the Houthi rebels and supporters of the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, on the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The talks, due in Switzerland on Tuesday, aim to reach a lasting peace deal based on the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The strike comes as Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels, who have controlled the capital Sanaa since September last year, agreed to start a weeklong cease-fire on the eve of direct talks in Geneva, both sides confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The Houthis fired a long-range missile at a secret headquarters of the pro-government military leadership close to the strategic strait of Bab al-Mandab, killing more than 100 men of the coalition,” said Shehab Al Makahleh, a political analyst and director of Geostrategic Media Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The launch of a Tochka\u00a0missile on a military base in southwest of Yemen by al-Mandab Strait aims to shift the political scene, which the coalition had been trying to achieve for more than eight8<\/span> months, which culminated in an expected cease-fire tonight before Geneva talks,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The strike proves that the Houthi rebels in Yemen have improved intelligence capabilities, Makahleh added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n