Saudi Arabia and the United States mounted a joint operation in January to rescue two young American women who were held captive by the Iran-backed Houthi movement in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.
The Yemen-born women, aged 19 and 20, were flown from Sanaa to the southern city of Aden and then to the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where they underwent health checks and other care, said the source, who requested anonymity.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence confirmed the operation in a statement on Friday, saying the Saudi Air Force had flown the women to Riyadh from Aden.
