SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition kept up their airstrikes targeting the positions of Yemen’s Shiite rebels and their allies around the capital, Sanaa, hours ahead of a humanitarian cease-fire set to begin on Tuesday evening.
The strikes stopped shortly before the newly appointed U.N. envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed of Mauritania, flew into Sanaa on his official first visit to the country. He told reporters he planned to meet with various parties, including the rebels known as Houthis, and ensure that the cease-fire holds.
According to security officials, airstrikes overnight, at dawn and during the morning hours targeted weapons depots and other military facilities north and south of Sanaa, a sprawling city of some 4 million people. The military air base that is part of the capital’s international airport was also targeted.
In all, Sanaa endured a total of 10 strikes from dawn until about noon on Tuesday, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
The cease-fire, scheduled to begin at 11 p.m., is meant to help ease the suffering of civilians in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country.