The Saudi military will continue to use force to stop the Houthi rebels from making advances in Yemen, the Saudi ambassador in Washington said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

His comments come despite the announcement on Tuesday of an end to the Saudi-led air campaign.

“When the Houthis or their allies make aggressive moves there will be a response. The decision to calm matters now rests entirely with them,” the ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, was quoted as having told reporters.

He said Saudi forces, which were reported to have carried out at least 12 airstrikes in southern Yemen on Wednesday, were ready to stop any Houthi advance into the port of Aden.

“Operation Decisive Storm” was launched on March 26, and included a total of 2,415 airstrikes.

In announcing the end of the operation on Tuesday, a Saudi defense ministry statement said the operation ha “succeeded,” and has destroyed ballistic missiles belong to the Houthis and militias loyal to deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Iran, which provides support to the Houthis, welcomed the end of the operation, saying that “the crisis in Yemen had no military solution, and … a halt to killing innocent and defenseless people is absolutely a step forward.”

The White House also commented on the issue, welcoming Saudi Arabia’s decision to halt the airstrikes and urging talks to end the crisis in Yemen.

“The United States welcomes today’s announcement by the government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners of the conclusion of Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen,” National Security Council spokesman Alistair Baskey told AFP.

“We continue to support the resumption of a UN-facilitated political process and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance.”