Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt), March 28 (IANS): Yemeni President Abd Rabbou Mansour Hadi urged the Arab countries on Saturday to continue their military operation against the Shia Houthi group until it is fully defeated, Egyptian state news agency MENA reported.

Addressing the 26th Arab League summit in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Shiekh, he said the ongoing Saudi-led coalition operation in Yemen was in line with Article 51 of the UN charter, which gave nations the right to collective self-defence.

"I call for this operation to continue until this gang surrenders and withdraws from all locations it has occupied in every province," Hadi said, adding that “Operation Decisive Storm” was aimed at protecting the Yemenis against “failed aggression” and the Houthis' "obsession with power".

He said that his attendance at the summit aims to deliver Yemen's voice to the Arab nation.

Hadi further said that Yemen has chosen the dialogue path and held a comprehensive national conference in March 2013, with the participation of all parties in line with the Gulf initiative.

Hadi also talked about fleeing from house arrest in the capital Sanaa and said that the Yemenis were resisting the Houthis.

He called for protests against the Houthis all over Yemen to show the popular will in support of constitutional legitimacy.

He also thanked Arab countries for their support to the legitimacy and stability of the Yemeni people.

The Yemeni president praised Egypt’s leading role in the region as the pulsing heart of Arabism and the valve of security.

Hadi said that "dark forces" within Yemen and outside it have undermined popular legitimacy via a coup and militarised the Yemeni capital Sanaa and other provinces.

“I say to Iran’s puppet, you have destroyed Yemen with your political immaturity,” Hadi said.

"If only you know the challenges and hardships I faced to attend the summit with you," Hadi said.

“I have met great obstacles that aimed to prevent me from participating in this summit,” said Hadi, adding that he was “keen on attending the conference in support of legitimacy”.

He also called on the Yemeni army to protect state institutions and carry out the orders of the "legitimate leadership”.

"Your responsibility today is to protect security, stability and state institutions ... and to carry out the orders of your legitimate leadership," he said.

"We are keen on restructuring our military and police on national lines and in a scientific and modern way so that it is an army for the whole nation" Hadi said.

He added that the Saudi-led coalition campaign is a "test" to the proposed joint Arab military force.