Warplanes have carried out more than 30 strikes on the northwestern Yemeni provinces of Saada and Hajja near the border with Saudi Arabia, local officials and residents said.
The air raids occurred after Yemeni rebels fired rockets and mortars into Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, reportedly killing at least three people in the border town of Najran, forcing authorities to suspend all flights at a local airport, and shut down all schools. The UN has called for a humanitarian pause in the conflict, as relief agencies said they desperately need supplies.
Yemen asks UN to back ground force to battle Houthi rebels
Yemen has urged the United Nations to authorise the use of foreign ground forces to drive back Houthi rebels, specifically in the cities of Aden and Taiz. Rebels have been advancing in both areas despite air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition.
The latest request also urged human rights groups to document barbaric violations by Houthis. The letter, from Yemen’s UN ambassador Khaled Alyemany, cited an incident yesterday when at least 32 people were killed while trying to flee Aden in a boat.
