Sanaa: Airstrikes on a gas plant and an oil firm building in Yemen’s capital Sanaa sparked fires and partially damaged nearby homes and shops, the Houthis said.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said the attack on the gas station in the Al-Mafzar district of the northern Bani al-Harith area caused several fuel tankers to catch fire. Civil defence forces were trying to get a handle on the fire.
Warplanes attacked a building owned by the Yemen Petroleum Company in the south of the capital. The state-owned firm is controlled by the Houthi rebels and provides distribution services and marketing.
This caused damage to nearby homes and shops.
Local resident tells Xinhua
Explosions rocked nearby areas with several homes partially damaged, while some families had to abandon their homes, a local resident told Xinhua.
It was unclear how much damage had been caused but there were no immediate reports of any casualties from Tuesday’s strikes. The Saudi authorities were yet to comment immediately.
The latest incident comes amid rising tensions between the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia. The rebels have claimed responsibility for multiple missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities and military sites, and the Saudi-led coalition have ramped up airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas, Xinhua News Agency reported.
At least 11 killed in earlier airstrikes
The latest airstrikes come after at least 11 people were killed in airstrikes on a village close to Sanaa on Saturday. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV claimed responsibility for the attack, blaming it on Saudi warplanes.
Five homes were destroyed in the Ash Sharyah village in the Bani Hushaysh district to the east of Sanaa. Women and children were among those reported to have been killed.
Eleven bodies were recovered from the wreckage by rescue teams, the head of the health office for the district told Al-Masirah. However, he said this was a preliminary figure as rescue efforts continued.
Two more airstrikes were carried out by Saudi warplanes, hitting rescue workers and roads leading to the village. Military aircraft were also reported to be circling the area.
Tensions are high in the war-torn nation.