Sanaa - Yemenis have been taken by surprise by a Saudi-led coalition's decision to end its air campaign against rebels, but they fear the crisis in their country is far from over.
Saudi-led warplanes pounded positions of the Huthi Shiite rebels and their allies for four weeks, after the insurgents advanced on the southern city of Aden where embattled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi had taken refuge.
But, in the same way that they never expected the intervention, the abrupt end to the operation also caught people unawares in the capital Sanaa.
The coalition said on Tuesday that the campaign was successful and had achieved its goals. But its air strikes resumed on Wednesday, targeting rebel positions in various places.
"The coalition should have imposed its conditions on the Huthis and at least forced them to withdraw from cities they have occupied," said 32-year-old Sanaa resident Asim Sabri.
For a whole week, Sanaa has been without electricity or water, while food supplies have dwindled and a shortage of fuel has seen a drop in activity.
But the Huthis and troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh still control of most of the territories they overran since September last year, including the capital.
The windows of Sabri's home were shattered two days ago when scores of houses were either flattened or damaged in explosions triggered by coalition strikes on a missile base south of Sanaa.
The blasts killed 38 civilians and wounded more than 500 others.
But Sabri said he was worried that the end of Operation Decisive Storm would give rebels some "respite to reorganise their ranks".
AFP
