Sanaa - The Saudi-led coalition bombed the Yemeni capital's airport and the Shia rebels' northern stronghold on Saturday just hours after proposing a humanitarian ceasefire to start next week.
Hundreds of families fled the rebels' Saada province bastion before a coalition deadline to leave expired on Friday evening, after which warplanes pounded rebel bases and the homes of rebel leaders, witnesses said.
But aid agencies warned that many civilians would not have had time to leave the province by the deadline and urged the coalition to hold back from its threat to treat the whole province as a military target.
After six weeks of air strikes in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, the coalition zeroed in on Saada, the rugged heartland of the Huthi Shia rebels on the Saudi border.
Riyadh has warned that the Iran-backed rebels crossed a "red line" by shelling populated border areas of the kingdom earlier this week.
Coalition warplanes and Saudi artillery pounded rebel chief Abdul Malik al-Huthi's hometown of Marran, witnesses said.
The rebel's Al-Masirah television said Marran and nearby Baqim were hit by more than 160 rockets.
The channel said the coalition had launched more than 27 air raids across the province.
Strikes in Saada city brought down the telecommunication network, residents said.
The coalition also carried out new strikes against the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa, which already suffered damaged to its runaways in previous strikes.
The coalition has imposed a tight sea and air blockade in a bid to prevent supplies reaching the rebels and their allies in the security forces.
AFP
