SANAA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) — A new wave of airstrikes hit Yemen’s Houthi-held capital Sanaa and several northern provinces late Tuesday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, as residents told Xinhua that several loud explosions rocked the capital.
The strikes targeted areas in Sanaa as well as the provinces of Amran, Saada and Al-Jawf, the television channel said, describing the attacks as “Saudi aggression.”
Residents in Sanaa told Xinhua that a number of explosions were heard across several parts of the capital, but the targets and extent of damage were not immediately clear.
The strikes came amid a sharp escalation in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, particularly in areas near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait in southwestern Yemen.
Saudi forces have intensified air operations against Houthi positions in support of Yemeni government forces, while the Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks against targets inside Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. ■