Yemen rebels claim attack on Saudi airbase

SANAA, Yemen

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday claimed two drone attacks on a Saudi airbase in southern Saudi Arabia.

Rebel spokesman Yahya Sarei said the attacks targeted King Khalid Airbase and Jazan Airport in the city of Khamis Mushait.

The spokesman said the attacks were in retaliation to the Saudi-led coalition’s attacks in Yemen.

There has been no comment from the Saudi-led coalition on the Houthi claim.

Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have recently stepped up their rocket and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to UN estimates, the conflict in Yemen has so far claimed the lives of at least 233,000 people, with millions more facing starvation and in need of humanitarian assistance.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara