Saudi-led forces conduct air strikes in Yemen's Saada

[May 08, 2015]  CAIRO/ADEN (Reuters) - Saudi-led forces conducted several air strikes on Thursday against the Yemeni province of Saada, a stronghold of the Iranian-allied Houthi movement, Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA said on Friday.

The strikes targeted two Houthi control centers in Bani Maaz and destroyed a mine factory in the old quarter of the city of Saada and a communications center in the Mothalath area, the agency said. Two Houthi command centers in the province were also destroyed.

Residents of Saada said the strikes had damaged the tomb of the founder of the Houthi movement, Hussein al-Houthi.

There was also heavy shelling in the west of the province, on the border area between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and 13 villagers were killed in strikes on Hajja province, also near the border, locals said.

The figures could not be independently verified.

In the southeastern province of Shabwa, coalition forces conducted at least five air strikes in the vicinity of Ataq airport and in Ataq city itself, local sources said.

Battles also continued between Houthi fighters and opposing militias in the city, with local sources saying 10 Houthis and five fighters were killed on Thursday.

Coalition strikes were also conducted in Aden late on Thursday night and early on Friday morning.

A Saudi-led coalition began strikes against the Houthis on March 26, aimed at pushing back their advances and restoring President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government.

The Saudi-led forces had threatened on Thursday to deliver a harsh response to Yemen's Houthi militias following attacks on Saudi citizens.

The Houthis shelled a Saudi air defense facility north of Najran on Thursday after sending mortars and rockets into the city on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing eight people. Another two Saudis were killed by Houthi shells that hit a village in Jizan province.

(Reporting By Mohammed Ghobari and Mohammed Mukhashaf; additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing By Maha El Dahan; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Dominic Evans)

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