Saudi-led strikes target Yemen rebel camps, kill 8 in Sanaa

Yemeni tribal sources said on Saturday that almost two dozen people, mostly civilians, lost their lives after Saudi warplanes bombed a munitions factory in the Saqayn region of the northwestern province of Sa’ada. If confirmed, the attack would be the farthest into Saudi base that any Yemen missile fired has traveled in the current battle.

Perhaps the biggest problem, however, is the Saudi naval blockade, as Yemen imports some 90 percent of its food, and those imports have slowed to a trickle since the war began.

Meanwhile, a port near the Aden oil refinery came under rebel artillery fire for a fifth consecutive day, as a fire continued in the area, said Aden Refinery Co spokesman Naser al-Shayef.

An Arab coalition has been bombarding Iran-allied Houthi forces and allied army units since March in a campaign to restore exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power.

Saba said the air strike targeted the Aahem market in Hajjah province, where preliminary figures showed that 30 civilians were killed and an unspecified number of people were wounded.

Despite Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s denial of their responsibility, Amnesty worldwide finds connection with Saudi-led strikes, since civilians are being killed by and the coalition widely uses the same 2,000 lb (900 kg) bombs. Hadi fled in February to Saudi Arabia, where he remains.

Eight Houthis were also killed in an explosion at the public library in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida used by members of the group, local officials said.

On the humanitarian front, the United Nations declared Yemen a level-3 emergency, the highest on its scale.

The humanitarian pause would last until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, a government official said the force would “monitor and supervise… the withdrawal of Houthi militants and forces loyal to [Yemen’s] ousted ex-president [Saleh] as well as take over control of arms depots”.

“A pause, along with commensurate disengagement of armed forces in all areas including Aden, Taiz, and Marib, would allow global aid organizations to deliver urgently needed food, medicine, and fuel to citizens throughout Yemen”.

United Nations envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was due in Sanaa for talks with the rebels and their allies on his ceasefire plans.