SANAA (AFP) – Yemeni rebel media said one person was killed in a United States (US) strike on Sanaa on Wednesday, accusing Washington of launching more than a dozen air raids on the Huthi-held capital.
Rebel-held areas of Yemen have endured near-daily strikes, blamed on the US, since Washington launched an air campaign against the Huthis on March 15 in an attempt to end their threats to shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Huthis’ Al-Masirah TV and Saba news agency reported “one martyr following an air strike by the American aggression targeting the Al-Nahda residential neighbourhood” in Sanaa.
Earlier, they reported “14 air strikes carried out by the American aggression” on another area of the capital and parts of Sanaa province. They also reported strikes blamed on the US in the Hazm area of Jawf province.
The US campaign followed Huthi threats to resume their attacks on international shipping over Israel’s aid blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Since March 15, the Huthis have also resumed attacks targeting US military ships and Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza at the beginning of March and resumed its offensive in the Palestinian territory on March 18, ending the truce.
The vital Red Sea route, connecting to the Suez Canal, normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic, but the attacks forced many companies to make a long detour around the tip of southern Africa.
