Saudi Arabia launches strikes on Yemen rebels

Saudi warplanes bombed Huthi rebels in Yemen on March 26, launching a military intervention by a 10-nation coalition to prevent the fall of embattled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
      
The rebels and their allies within the armed forces had been closing in on main southern city Aden where Hadi has been holed up since fleeing the rebel-controlled capital Sanaa last month.
      
The advance had raised fears in Saudi Arabia that the Shiite minority rebels would seize control of the whole of its Sunni-majority neighbour and take it into the orbit of regional rival Iran.
      
The Saudi ambassador to the United States said that the operation had begun with air strikes but that the coalition stood ready to do "whatever it takes" to protect Hadi's government.
      
Huge explosions were heard in Sanaa as warplanes pounded the air base adjacent to the international airport and other locations, an AFP correspondent reported.
      
At least 13 civilians were killed when seven homes near the air base were hit, a civil defence source said.
      
In the south, residents reported hearing explosions at the huge Al-Anad air base, north of Aden, which was seized by anti-government forces on Wednesday.
      
Saudi ambassador Adel al-Jubeir said that the kingdom had assembled a coalition of more than 10 countries, including five Gulf monarchies, for the military operation to defend Hadi's government.         Washington said President Barack Obama had authorised the "provision of logistical and intelligence support" for the campaign.
      
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE along with Saudi Arabia said they "have decided to answer the call of President Hadi to protect Yemen and his people from the...