Saudi-Led Arab Coalition Conducted Series Of Airstrikes On Yemeni Capital - Reports

DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2019) The Saudi-led Arab coalition has conducted a series of airstrikes against the positions of the Ansar Allah militants (Houthis) in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, local media reported on Saturday.

The attacks on the Houthis' positions, in particular, drone launch sites in Sanaa, were a response to the attack on al-Anad military base in Lahj province last week, where many high-ranking officers of the Yemeni army and security services were killed during the military parade, Saudi broadcaster Al Ekhbariya reported, citing the coalition's statement. Earlier, the Houthis confirmed they were responsible for the drone attack on al-Anad base.

A few hours before the attack, the coalition and the government of Yemen appealed to Yemenis asking them to stay away from the positions of the Houthis, the statement says.

According to the Al Arabiya broadcaster, the Houthis' positions in northwestern part of Sanaa have been stricken. In particular, the coalition attacked a training camp, as well as a division of the Houthis missile defense system and al-Dulaimi military air base, from where drones had been launched to attack the positions of the Yemeni pro-government forces.

In addition, the president's house, where the training camp was located, was subjected to airstrikes.

At the same time, Houthis-controlled broadcaster Almasirah reported that the coalition aircraft had stricken a food factory in the north of Sanaa, adding that residential buildings were damaged as a result of the attack. Houthis government stressed that strikes on the residential areas of Sanaa, where there are a lot of civilians and internally displaced persons, violated international humanitarian law.

Yemen has been locked in a conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting strikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.

The intense fighting in Yemen resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people in the country suffering from hunger and lack of health care. The military operations by the Saudi-led coalition, supported by the United States and its allies, have produced mass civilian casualties and worsened the humanitarian crisis.