Saudi-Led Coalition Conducts Five Airstrikes on Houthi Positions in Yemen

Saudi Arabian-led coalition carried out five airstrikes on the positions of the Houthis and their allies in the Raht area of Yemen, according to a local source.

SANAA (Sputnik) — A Saudi Arabian-led coalition has conducted five airstrikes on the positions of Houthi militants in southern Yemeni governorate of Lahij, a local source told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"The coalition aircraft carried out five airstrikes on the positions of the Houthis and their allies in the Raht area, there are casualties, we have failed to count them so far," the source said.

On Tuesday, the international coalition announced that it had completed the Decisive Storm air operation against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The coalition's statement said that the airstrikes had "removed any threat posed to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries."

The new phase of the operation, codenamed Restoring Hope, is aimed at political reconciliation in the crisis-hit country, as well as counter-terrorism efforts and humanitarian relief.

Earlier on Wednesday, an army commander loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told RIA Novosti that the Saudi-led operation had failed to undermine the strength of opposition forces.

Despite the end of the military operation, fighting continue in Yemen's south as Houthi militants seized a military base in the city of Taiz earlier on Wednesday.