UAE jets pin-point strikes on Houthi bases

LATEST UPDATE: The jet fighters of the air force and air defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have continued their air strikes on the rebel strongholds in Yemen.

The UAE jet fighters, taking part in the Arab Coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, conducted precise airstrikes that hit the Houthi gatherings and arms caches in Sana'a and Al Bayda, where the warehouses for military vehicles were targeted. The rebels' vehicles and gatherings were also hit in Marib.

The jet fighters returned safely to their bases.

Saudi-led coalition jets on Sunday bombed a Houthi military position and army bases in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

The air strikes targeted troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Houthis, and a Houthi base in what was the Al Imam University, a religious school in northern Sanaa, residents said.

A maternity and children's hospital said it had also sustained damage, with its patients trapped inside by the intensity of the bombardment.

Residents said explosions could be heard all night and buildings had been levelled but there were no immediate reports of casualties as most people in the area had been evacuated.

"The sounds of explosions had not stopped since 1:15am (2215 GMT)," one resident told Reuters.

The Al Sabeen hospital in Sanaa issued an appeal to international organisations to help it evacuate patients.

The Saudi-led coalition says it does not target civilian facilities

Powerful explosions shook the Yemeni capital Sunday, witnesses said, after the Saudi-led coalition vowed to press its air war following a rebel missile strike that killed dozens of Gulf soldiers.

The witnesses said the coalition warplanes pounded positions of the Houthi rebels and bases of splinter troops loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The raids hit military bases on the Nahdain and Fajj Attan hills and the neighbouring presidential complex, south of Sanaa, as well as the headquarters of the special forces.

Also targeted were Houthi positions in the northern neighbourhoods of Sufan and Al Nahda, the witnesses said.

It comes after the missile attack Friday on an arms depot in Marib, east of Sanaa, killed 60 soldiers, including 45 Emiratis, 10 Saudis and five Bahrainis.

After loyalists recaptured the southern port in July, the coalition launched a ground operation that has seen the rebels pushed back from five southern provinces, although they still control Sanaa and parts of the north and centre.

Earlier Story: The Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia launched intense air raids on the Yemeni capital Sanaa - the deadliest in recent weeks. The raids targeted sites of the Houthi militia in Sanaa.

The air strikes which were described as the fiercest in weeks, targeted the Iman University and first Armored Division 5 and Al Dailami military base in addition to Houthi militia sites in Sawfan avenue.

The strikes also targeted Houthi militia sites at Al Dailami base.

Reports also mentioned that Hamid and Ibrahim Al Houthi, brothers of Abdul Malik Al Houthi,  Al Houthi leader, were killed in the raids.

Witnesses said the coalition warplanes pounded positions of Houthi rebels and bases of splinter troops loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The raids hit military bases on the Nahdain and Fajj Attan hills and the neighbouring presidential complex, south of Sanaa, as well as the headquarters of the special forces.

Also targeted were positions in the northern neighbourhoods of Sufan and Al Nahda.

Earlier, UAE jet-fighters launched destructive air strikes against a number of strongholds of the rebellious militias in Yemen.

The airstrikes targeted strongholds of the rebels in Al Bayda and groups of Houthis and depots of weapons in Makiras and Mari'b.

The UAE Air Force and Air Defence fighters, which are participating in the Saudi Arabia-led Arab Alliance, have also bombed a mine plant in Sada, camps of the republican guards and depots of weapons in Ebb and San'a and inflicted heavy casualties on them.

The jets returned safely to their bases.

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