Saudi-led airstrike kills 7 in contested Yemen port city

Saudi-led airstrike kills 7 in contested Yemen port city
Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the Yemeni government's fight against the Iran-backed Huthis in 2015, triggering what the UN now calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
1 min read
14 November, 2018
Saudi-besieged Hodeida was the pain point of entry for international aid to Yemen [Getty]

Yemeni officials say an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition has killed at least seven civilians in Yemen’s rebel-held port city of Hodeida.

The officials say the airstrike late on Tuesday targeted a bus carrying civilians who were fleeing clashes, and that another four people were wounded.

The strike came a day after officials said an informal agreement had been reached to reduce hostilities following advances by the coalition, which has spent months trying to seize the key port.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Nearly 600 people have been killed since clashes erupted on November 1 in Hodeida, one of Yemen's most densely populated cities.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the Yemeni government's fight against the Iran-backed Huthis in 2015, triggering what the UN now calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. 

The Hodeidah port is a vital lifeline for aid deliveries to Yemenis across the war-torn country, where 14 million people face imminent famine. 

The port has been under blockade by the Saudi-led coalition for a year. 

The alliance accuses Iran of smuggling arms to the Houthis through the Hodeidah port. 

Tehran denies the charges.