Yemeni president heads to Egypt for Arab summit -al-Arabiya TV

ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has left Yemen's southern city of Aden under Saudi protection for Egypt, where he will attend an Arab summit on Saturday, Saudi-owned al Arabiya television said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Arab allies struck Shi'ite Muslim Houthi rebels who are fighting to oust Hadi and have taken over much of the country. "Hadi leaves Aden for Sharm el-Sheikh under Saudi protection," the Dubai-based satellite channel said, referring to Egypt's Red Sea resort where the summit is being held. It did not cite any sources. Mohammed Marem, the director of Hadi's office, confirmed that the president would attend the Sharm meeting in person, dropping his original plan to address other Arab leaders via a closed-circuit television link. "In light of the events and developments that have happened since dawn, he has decided to attend the summit and participate in person," Marem told Reuters. He said preparations were underway for his departure, but gave no details. Hadi escaped to Aden last month after fleeing the capital Sanaa, where he had been confined to his home by the Houthis since January. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf and Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Crispian Balmer)