Military intervention in Yemen by a 10-nation coalition led by Saudi Arabia was "inevitable", Egypt's president said today.

Soldier-turned-politician Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also endorsed the creation of a joint Arab military force, saying that the Arab world was facing "unprecedented" threats and, without mentioning it by name, accused Shiite, non-Arab Iran of meddling in Arab affairs.

The campaign of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition was in response to a power grab in the impoverished nation by Iranian-backed Shiite rebels known as the Houthis.

Iran and the Houthis deny that Tehran arms the rebel movement.

Mr El-Sisi made the remarks at the opening session of an Arab summit held in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

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