Prince Faisal bin Khalid says posts purged of infiltrators into borders with Yemen

Saudi forces reach beyond Jabal Dukhan, suppressed Houthi rebels’ fire on borders

Violations impose need to build security fence between Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Saleh pledges to continue war on Houthis, says final battle definitely coming

Dozens killed in battles in Sufian, Saada

Saudi newspapers highlighted in their editorials the high degree of efficiency of Saudi Armed Forces and their ability to repel any external aggression.

In their editorials, Al-Madinah, Al-Nadwah, Al-Jazirah and Al-Riyadh newspapers said that in a few days our brave troops took control of the southern border sites into which a number of Houthi elements infiltrated and they flushed them out of these sites.

The papers noted that citizens and residents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a high confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to protect their lives and properties.

They added that despite this extraordinary achievement for Saudi forces, we must be careful, stressing that these military operations confirm that the Kingdom will not tolerate any attempt to attack its territory or people.

The papers indicated that the Kingdom has been known as a peaceful country that rejects conflicts and calls for peace; but at the same time, it is strong and has a brave army protecting the land and citizens and will be strict with any terrorists from wherever they come.

The papers highlighted that history has confirmed the courage of Saudi soldiers in protecting their land from any aggression.

The papers emphasized that the Kingdom has full right to take all military and logistics measures to protect its security, as security has been one of the first priorities that must be preserved, noting in this regard statements of support from various countries for the Kingdom’s position and its right to defend its land and people.

The cabinet stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not tolerate any violation of its sovereign lands, underlining that such illegal infiltration gives it the full right to take all measures to end it in addition to taking the necessary measures to protect its citizens and lands, secure its borders, deter the aggressors, put an end to anyone thinking of carrying out any infiltrations or sabotage and to prevent any repetitions in the future.

The cabinet appreciated the efforts and coordination carried out by all various sectors in taking all necessary measures to maintain the security and stability of the homeland and citizens. The cabinet expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the martyrs and wished the injured quick recovery.

Meanwhile, the New York Times newspaper said that Fighting continued for a sixth day on Monday between the Saudi military and Yemeni rebels on their countries’ border, with the rebels releasing a videotape of what they said was one of several captured Saudi soldiers.

Saudi Arabia hammered the rebels with air strikes and artillery fire, and captured about 280 rebel fighters, said a Saudi military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Saudi Arabia’s entry into the conflict last week escalated a five-year-old battle between the Houthi rebels and the government of Yemen.

It began on Nov. 3 when the Houthis seized a strategic mountain on the border — accusing the Yemeni government of using it for attacks on them — and encountered a Saudi border patrol. In the ensuing gun battle, the Houthis killed a Saudi border guard; another guard died later of his wounds. The Saudis then began a fierce bombing campaign to flush the rebels from the area.

In the videotape released by the Houthis on Monday, a man identified as a captured Saudi soldier was shown lying in bed, with facial wounds and wearing a military uniform. A doctor in white tends to him. The tape identifies the soldier as Staff Sgt. Ahmad Abdullah al-Omari of the Saudi Special Forces. The rebels also released a photograph of a military ID card bearing his name.

The Saudis had acknowledged that four of their soldiers were missing, but denied that they had been captured.

Also on Monday, a rebel spokesman, Muhammad Abdel Salam, told Aljazeera television that the Saudis were using phosphorus bombs in their offensive. Saudi military officials could not be reached for comment. White phosphorus can cause severe burns, and its use on civilian targets is banned by international law.

Saudi military officials said over the weekend that they had cleared enemy fighters from their side of the mountain area, known as Jabal Dukhan, where the rebels first struck.

Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned television channel, showed Saudi soldiers blindfolding captured fighters. But the Houthis may have returned to some areas from which they had been pushed out.

The rebels have accused Saudi forces of bombing and shelling them on Yemeni territory. But Saudi and Yemeni officials have said from the beginning that the Saudis were fighting only on their side of the border.

The fighting comes almost three months after the Yemeni military launched an operation to wipe out the rebels, whom it had been fighting on and off since 2004.

Saudi officials say their forces struck after Shiite rebels attacked a patrol in the Asir region, killing one soldier.

Three more soldiers died in the fighting, officials say, but they deny rebel claims that others were captured.

The rebels, known as Houthis, say they are fighting discrimination in Yemen and accuse Saudi Arabia of supporting the Yemeni government.

BBC regional analyst Sebastian Usher says fighting between the rebels and the Yemeni government has long threatened to spill over the border.

The demarcation of the border is not clear, our correspondent says. The mountainous area used to be part of Yemen and on the Saudi side still feels quite different from the rest of the kingdom, he adds.

The Saudis say their operation with aircraft and artillery was limited to their side of the border after rebels attacked last week.

The Saudi official news agency quoted a senior official as saying 15 soldiers were wounded and several rebels arrested.

However, rebels say Saudi forces struck deep into northern Yemen and civilians were killed. The Saudis deny the claims.

On a visit to soldiers in the Asir border area, Saudi official Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz said his country was ready to fight off any further rebel incursion.

"Things in the Asir area are secured, with God’s will. We will deter anyone who tries to take an inch of the territory of Saudi Arabia, and God willing, we will kick them out," he said.

Observers say Saudi Arabia has become increasingly concerned about instability in Yemen, which faces a Shiite insurgency in the north, growing separatism in the south and a renewed threat from al-Qaeda.