SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Saudi-led airstrikes on weapons caches in Yemen’s rebel-held capital on Monday caused massive explosions that shattered windows, sent residents scrambling for shelter and killed a local TV presenter.
The explosions were the most powerful seen in the city since a Saudi-led air campaign against Iran-allied Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, began last month. The blasts deposited a layer of soot on the top floors of residential buildings and left the streets littered with glass. Anti-aircraft fire rattled across the city in response.
Mushroom clouds rose over Fag Atan, in the mountainous outskirts of Sanaa, where the capital’s largest weapons caches are located. The site has been targeted several times during the three-week air campaign.
A Yemeni official said the Saudi-led warplanes are demolishing parts of the mountain, hoping to uncover and destroy Scud missiles. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Some 6 kilometers (4 miles) away from Fag Atan, cars were damaged and charred, shop fronts were shattered and the windows were blown out of office buildings.