TEHRAN - The Southern regions of Yemen will witness a war of intelligence between the Yemeni army and popular committees and the US and Israel in the future, a source said on Monday.

"The safe regions that the US and Saudi Arabia are attempting to create in Yemen will be controlled by the ISIL and al­Qaeda and monitored by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia," an intelligence source told al­Najm al­Thaqib news agency.

Noting that the US most obvious goal during Donald Trump's presidency is transferring the terrorist groups to the safe regions that will be set up in Yemen and Syria soon, the source said, "The Southern regions of Yemen will soon witness a major war of intelligence between the Yemeni army and popular committees affiliated to Ansarullah on one hand and the US and Israel on the other hand through the ISIL and al­Qaeda.

" More than 13,100 Yemeni people have been killed since the Saudi­led intervention began in March 2015, most of them civilians. The Yemeni popular forces remain in control of the capital Sana'a and much of the densely populated highlands, as well as the main Red Sea port of Hodeida.

In a latest development, the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia admitted Monday that a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea near the port of Al­Hodeida in Western Yemen was attacked and damaged by the Yemeni army. Sources affiliated to Ansarullah movement told al­Mayadeen news website that no less than 176 Saudi troops were on the frigate, including a military helicopter. In a coalition statement, the Saudis claimed two were killed and three wounded. 

(Source: Fars news agency)