SANAA, (AA): Saudi-led coalition warplanes have stepped up attacks on positions held by Yemen’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Shia Muslim Houthi group following the termination of a two-week humanitarian cease-fire.
Coalition warplanes on Saturday night and early Sunday morning reportedly struck a number of Houthi targets north of capital Sanaa, where local residents reported hearing violent explosions.
Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that coalition warplanes had targeted the Dilaa-Hamadan camp northwest of Sanaa — which is held by both the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh — and the Attan camp west of the capital.
According to local sources, coalition warplanes also struck Houthi and pro-Saleh positions in Sanhan, Saleh’s hometown, and the Al-Manar camp in Alhema west of Sanaa.
Local witnesses also told Anadolu Agency that coalition airstrikes had targeted several positions in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province, considered a Houthi stronghold.
According to the same sources, coalition warplanes — in conjunction with artillery bombardments from Saudi Arabia — struck Houthi positions in Saada’s Baqim, Kattaf, Razih and Al-Saffra directorates.
At 14:00 Saturday, leaders of the Saudi-led coalition declared an end to the humanitarian truce, citing “ongoing cease-fire breaches by the Houthi militias and pro-Saleh forces”. According to international observers, both Saudi Arabia led coalition and Saleh’s troops and Houthis broke ceasefire agreement.
The announcement came shortly after Saudi Air Defense Forces on Friday claimed to have intercepted a missile fired from Yemeni territory towards the Saudi city of Abha in the kingdom’s southwest.
According to official Saudi sources, the missile was the 11th to be fired by the Houthis into Saudi territory within the last three weeks.