Arab states agree to form unified military force to deal with security threats

Arab foreign ministers agreed at a meeting in Egypt on Thursday on a draft resolution to form a unified Arab military force, Egyptian state TV said.

The agreement came after warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Arab allies struck Shi'ite Muslim rebels fighting to oust Yemen's president on Thursday, in a major gamble by the world's top oil exporter to check Iranian influence in its backyard without direct military backing from Washington.

The task of the force will be rapid military intervention to deal with security threats to Arab nations, Egyptian TV added. The ministers asked the secretary of the Arab League to coordinate with Arab armies' chiefs of staff within one month to form the unified force.