Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's presidential palace in the centre of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa early on Monday, killing at least six people, Houthi-run media reported.

The coalition, which entered Yemen's war in 2015 to push back Houthi fighters who had taken over large parts of the country, said it had meant to hit senior Houthi leaders.

"First and second rank Houthi leadership were targeted," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters in Riyadh, without confirming any casualties.

Two air strikes damaged the palace as well as houses and businesses nearby in the city's central Tahrir district, the SABA news agency reported.

Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia said two Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the group's supreme revolutionary committee, were inside the palace at the time, but did not say what happened to them.

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said at least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the strikes.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Photos and television footage showed a building reduced to a pile of smashed concrete and twisted metal bars. An armed Houthi fighter tried to stop people approaching the site.

The two sides in Yemen have fought to a stalemate after more than three years of war.

Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused their rival Iran of arming and supporting the Houthis - an assertion dismissed by both the armed group and Tehran.

The Houthis say they are fighting for Yemen’s sovereignty against a Western-backed plot to dominate the country.

A Saudi-led coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader in Yemen, Saleh al-Samad, the most senior official to be killed by the alliance.

Houthi-run media reported that at least six people were killed

Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's presidential palace in the centre of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa early on Monday, killing at least six people, Houthi-run media reported. The coalition, which entered Yemen's war in 2015 to push back Houthi fighters who had taken over large parts of the country, said it had meant to hit senior Houthi leaders. "First and second rank Houthi leadership were targeted," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters in Riyadh, without confirming any casualties. Two air strikes damaged the palace as well as houses and businesses nearby in the city's central Tahrir district, the SABA news agency reported. Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia said two Houthi leaders, including Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the group's supreme revolutionary committee, were inside the palace at the time, but did not say what happened to them. The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said at least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the strikes. Reuters could not independently confirm the reports. Photos and television footage showed a building reduced to a pile of smashed concrete and twisted metal bars. An armed Houthi fighter tried to stop people approaching the site. The two sides in Yemen have fought to a stalemate after more than three years of war. Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused their rival Iran of arming and supporting the Houthis - an assertion dismissed by both the armed group and Tehran. The Houthis say they are fighting for Yemen’s sovereignty against a Western-backed plot to dominate the country. A Saudi-led coalition air strike last month killed the Houthis' top civilian leader in Yemen, Saleh al-Samad, the most senior official to be killed by the alliance.

Saudi-led air strikes hit Yemen presidential palace: Houthi media

At least 22 civilians were killed on Friday and dozens wounded when a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a market in western Yemen causing a fire to break out, a local official said.

Missiles launched by fighter jets of the Arab alliance hit a market selling the mild narcotic leaf qat, which is popular among Yemenis, near the Red Sea fishing town of Khoukha.

Rescue workers on Friday night were battling a blaze in the market caused by the attack and pulling bodies out of the rubble some of which were burnt beyond recognition, according to Hashim Azazi, deputy governor of Hodeidah province.

&quot;All of those killed were civilians, none were holding weapons,&quot; said Azazi.

A coalition spokesperson was not immediately available to comment.

Khoukha and the nearby city of Hodeidah are controlled by Iran-allied Houthi fighters who in 2014 overran Yemen&#39;s capital Sanaa and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee into exile.

Yemeni government forces backed by Gulf Arab troops recaptured control of the southern Red Sea city of al-Mokha last month in a push that paved the way for an advance on Hodeidah, the country&#39;s main port city.

The Saudi-led coalition was formed in 2015 to fight the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who have fired missiles into neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Friday&#39;s attacks were the latest in a series of coalition-led strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes.

In December, the coalition acknowledged that it had made &quot;limited use&quot; of British-made cluster bombs, but said it had stopped using them.

Nearly half of Yemen&#39;s 22 provinces are on the verge of famine, according to the UN&nbsp;World Food Programme, as a result of the war that has drawn in regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The air strike caused a fire in a crowded market place on a Friday night. The only people killed were civilians

At least 22 civilians were killed on Friday and dozens wounded when a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a market in western Yemen causing a fire to break out, a local official said. Missiles launched by fighter jets of the Arab alliance hit a market selling the mild narcotic leaf qat, which is popular among Yemenis, near the Red Sea fishing town of Khoukha. Rescue workers on Friday night were battling a blaze in the market caused by the attack and pulling bodies out of the rubble some of which were burnt beyond recognition, according to Hashim Azazi, deputy governor of Hodeidah province. "All of those killed were civilians, none were holding weapons," said Azazi. A coalition spokesperson was not immediately available to comment. Khoukha and the nearby city of Hodeidah are controlled by Iran-allied Houthi fighters who in 2014 overran Yemen's capital Sanaa and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee into exile. Yemeni government forces backed by Gulf Arab troops recaptured control of the southern Red Sea city of al-Mokha last month in a push that paved the way for an advance on Hodeidah, the country's main port city. The Saudi-led coalition was formed in 2015 to fight the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh who have fired missiles into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Friday's attacks were the latest in a series of coalition-led strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. In December, the coalition acknowledged that it had made "limited use" of British-made cluster bombs, but said it had stopped using them. Nearly half of Yemen's 22 provinces are on the verge of famine, according to the UN World Food Programme, as a result of the war that has drawn in regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

Saudi-led coalition air strike kills 22, wounds dozens in Yemen: Official

&nbsp;Fourteen government soldiers were killed on Sunday in a push to retake a southern Yemeni city from the Iran-allied Houthi group in one of the deadliest days since a shaky ceasefire tentatively took hold last month, military officials said.

Yemen&#39;s exiled government has been fighting a war backed by Saudi-led air strikes and ground forces to win back the capital of Sanaa from the Houthis, whom it views as a proxy of Tehran.

Backed up by local tribes and militias, army forces attacked the city of Beihan in southeastern Shabwa province which sits on a main road leading to Sanaa some 100 km (62 miles) away.

Military and local officials said several fighters on the Houthi side were killed and injured in the battle adding that government forces were advancing deeper into the town.

The Shi&#39;ite Muslim Houthis, who took power in late 2014, deny they are puppets of Iran and say their armed fight is a revolution against corruption officials.

Home to Yemen&#39;s largest industrial project, a now-shut liquefied natural gas export facility at Belhaf, Shabwa is divided among Al-Qaeda, government troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Houthi forces and armed tribes.

Clashes have repeatedly broken out there between Houthi and pro-Hadi forces despite a ceasefire which began on April 10, which has mostly stopped fighting and buttressed weeks of inconclusive U.N.-backed peace talks in Kuwait.

Clashes between the Houthi group--the Shi'ite rebels-- and pro-Hadi forces broke out in an attempt to retake the southern Yemeni city from the former.

Fourteen government soldiers were killed on Sunday in a push to retake a southern Yemeni city from the Iran-allied Houthi group in one of the deadliest days since a shaky ceasefire tentatively took hold last month, military officials said. Yemen's exiled government has been fighting a war backed by Saudi-led air strikes and ground forces to win back the capital of Sanaa from the Houthis, whom it views as a proxy of Tehran. Backed up by local tribes and militias, army forces attacked the city of Beihan in southeastern Shabwa province which sits on a main road leading to Sanaa some 100 km (62 miles) away. Military and local officials said several fighters on the Houthi side were killed and injured in the battle adding that government forces were advancing deeper into the town. The Shi'ite Muslim Houthis, who took power in late 2014, deny they are puppets of Iran and say their armed fight is a revolution against corruption officials. Home to Yemen's largest industrial project, a now-shut liquefied natural gas export facility at Belhaf, Shabwa is divided among Al-Qaeda, government troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Houthi forces and armed tribes. Clashes have repeatedly broken out there between Houthi and pro-Hadi forces despite a ceasefire which began on April 10, which has mostly stopped fighting and buttressed weeks of inconclusive U.N.-backed peace talks in Kuwait.

Fourteen soldiers killed in Southern Yemen clashes