Coalition strikes, fighting kill 40 rebels in Yemen's Aden
Saudi-led coalition strikes against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen's second city Aden on Thursday and ground clashes killed at least 40 Huthis and their allies, the city's deputy governor said, AFP reports.
Residents reported non-stop air raids on rebel positions across the city amid heavy fighting.
The coalition air campaign against the rebels and allied forces loyal to former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh began on March 26 in an effort to restore UN-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to power.
"Coalition forces carried out qualitative and successful operations against the rebels after coordination between the coalition leadership and the Popular Resistance Council leadership" on the ground in Aden, the southern city's deputy governor Naef al-Bakri told AFP.
Bakri did not give details on the operations but said that warplanes destroyed a number of rebel vehicles and hit checkpoints in Aden's north and northeast, adding that Popular Resistance fighters were also "provided with qualitative weapons."