The Arab Coalition is providing relief to the Yemeni people through the humanitarian arms of its members the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in addition to establishing legitimacy in Yemen, said Yemeni Foreign Affairs Abdel-Malek Al-Mekhlafi in a televised interview.

"The role of the Arab Coalition is not limited to establishing the Yemeni legitimacy through sacrifices being made in honourable combat fields. Their role also includes supporting the Yemeni people through Saudi's King Salman Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Relief and the UAE's Emirates Red Crescent," he said in the interview with the Yemeni Al Ghad Al Mushreq TV channel.

"These humanitarian arms are key pillars of reconstruction efforts in Yemen, now and in the future," the Yemeni official said.

The Arab Coalition extended considerable support to Yemen because its members were aware of the seriousness of the situation, which prompted them to take a unified and clear stand to prevent an Arab country from being lost, Al-Mekhlafi said and underlined the "importance of stopping Iran from expanding in the region".

The rebel Houthi group and the forces of its ally, the now-ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, continue to refuse to release detained prisoners and allow family visits.

"The legitimate government spared no efforts to break the stalemate and did all it can to reach a comprehensive and just peace based on the agreed regional and international terms of reference," he said.

The intransigence of the rebels is what has prolonged the crisis because they have no intention to offer any solution, Al-Mekhlafi stressed.