3 killed in Saudi-led airstrikes on Houthi stronghold in Yemen's capital

Saudi-led air raids targeted for the first time Shiite Houthi area in northern Yemen's capital of Sanaa on Wednesday, killing three Houthis and wounding 27 others, the Interior Ministry said.

The two airstrikes were carried out simultaneously at noon, destroying two buildings, including one on the road to the military airport, which is now under control of Hoiuthi militias and the other one near the telecommunications center and about half km to the state television, also under Houthi control.

Both buildings were in al-Jiraf neighborhood, the main stronghold of the Shiite Houthi militias in Sanaa, where Houthi political bureau located.

Residents said Houthis used those buildings for hosting fighters arrived from Saada, the far north stronghold and origin province of Houthis. The militias fired heavy anti-aircraft weapons from the area during the two airstrikes, which occurred within seconds.

The bombings were so powerful that shaked the ground and shattered the windows, but no major damages in nearby houses also owned by Houthi followers.

Shiite Houthis cordoned off the whole area, saying initial casualty figures are three Houthis killed and seven others wounded and search for other possible survivors is underway.

Traffic in Sanaa is almost empty due to severe fuel shortage, with no electricity and water supplies as the Saudi-led warplanes hovering in the sky of the capital around the day.

It is the fourteenth day since Saudi-led coalition forces launched airstrikes on Yemen on March 26. Houthi militias tightened grip on northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, advancing with support from allied troops of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to the southern provinces, including Aden, the main base of escapee Presdient Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Meanwhile, official Saba news agency, which is under control of Houthis, reported that the first Red Cross aid shipment is due to arrive in Sanaa airport within hours, adding that several foreign civil passenger planes are also due to land in Sanaa airport to airlift foreign stranded nationals.

The first Red Cross cargo plane for Yemen since the Saudi-led air campaign started three weeks ago includes 17 tons of medical supplies and was in the Jordanian capital of Amman, awaiting the go-ahead from coalition forces to land in Sanaa hopefully on Wednesday, said Sitara Jabeen, a Geneva-based spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

She added that another 35 tons of supplies were also ready for shipment.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that at least 560 people, including dozens of children, were killed and 1,768 others wounded, while over 10,000 residents fled major cities since the Shiite Houthi rebels and their allies advanced into southern port city of Aden on March 19 and the start of the Saudi-led air campaign in support of Hadi on March 26.

The 10-regional-allies coalition led by Saudi Arabia started late last month airstrikes on Houthi targets in Sanaa and other cities, saying that the multinational action is to protect President Hadi's legitimacy and force the Houthis to retreat from cities they have seized since September 2014.

The Saudi military said at a daily press conference held in its capital Riyadh that the coalition forces will not stop operations in Yemen despite reports of death of civilians. Endit