Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Sources have confirmed that Israel was able to airlift at least 17 Yemenite Jews out of the country on Sunday night, Al Arabiya News correspondent reported.

While 17 Jews were airlifted out of the country and into Israel overnight, our correspondent confirmed that around 40 other Yemenite Jews decided against leaving.

According to the Jewish organisations, more than 51,000 Yemenite Jews have been transferred to Israel since the country was founded in 1948.

Nearly 50,000 were brought over in 1949 and 1950 in a secret operation known as Operation Magic Carpet.

*Al Arabiya