10 dead as intense coalition raids hit Yemen capital

10 dead as intense coalition raids hit Yemen capital
Yemen's capital Sanaa has been hit by some of the heaviest Saudi-led coalition airstrikes since the start of the war, killing and injuring a number of people.
2 min read
08 September, 2015
Saudi-led warplanes have continued to pound rebel positions in Sanaa [Getty]

Saudi-led warplanes pounded rebel positions in the Yemeni capital on Tuesday leaving at least 10 people dead, as powerful explosions shook Sanaa.

Witnesses said targets included the police academy and the headquarters of the security services, both in the heart of the city which Houthi rebels have controlled since September last year.

Overnight strikes also targeted the Sanaa residences of Houthi leaders, witnesses said.

Medical sources said that at least seven "civilians" and three guards of a leading Houthi member were killed in the strikes.

The rebel-controlled sabanews.net website reported that 15 people were killed and 77 wounded in Tuesday's raids.

The latest strikes come a day after the government announced that 10,000 Yemeni fighters are now ready as part of the "national army being prepared to liberate Sanaa and other provinces".

Gulf Arab members of the Saudi-led anti-rebel coalition have also reportedly sent thousands of heavily armed reinforcements to Yemen after a Houthi missile attack killed 60 coalition soldiers on Friday.

The additional troops, mostly from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, were deployed to the battleground eastern oil province of Marib where the attack took place, the reports said.

This week, prosecuting authorities in the United Arab Emirates issued an arrest warrant for the person thought to be responsible for publishing a list of the names of 45 Emirati soldiers recently killed in a rocket attack by rebels in Yemen.

Meanwhile, al-Araby al-Jadeed’s Arabic service reported that the Iranian ambassador to Yemen, Hussein Nam, fled the Yemeni capital on Monday.

Iran has been accused of backing the Houthi rebels.