SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Saudi Arabia intensified its airstrikes against the main Shiite rebel stronghold in Yemen, with warplanes carrying out more than 50 strikes overnight and early on Friday, Saudi and Yemeni officials said.
The airstrikes throw into question a five-day conditional ceasefire announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the Saudi foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, so that humanitarian aid can reach millions of civilians caught up in the conflict that has killed more than 1,400 people since the Saudi-led campaign started March 26.
The Saudi-led military coalition said the latest airstrikes in the northern province of Saada – the stronghold of rebels known as Houthis – were in response to cross border attacks by the rebels targeting Saudi Arabian cities near the frontier.
Saudi airstrikes have been pummeling Saada for more than a month since the start of a campaign against the rebels, who are allied with forces loyal to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
On Friday, Saudi Press Agency reported that warplanes destroyed a land-mine factory, a telecommunications complex and command centers in Saada. Yemeni officials said that in addition to the more than 50 airstrikes, helicopters dropped leaflets calling on residents to stay away from rebel positions and houses. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.