Saudi Arabia's military claimed to have warding off a major attack launched from Yemen's Houthi

Saudi Arabia's military claimed to have warding off a major attack launched from Yemen's Houthi

Saudi Arabia's military claimed to have warding off a major attack launched from Yemen's Houthi rebels in their border, Saudi state media said.

A military statement quoted by the Saudi news agency (SPA), said the attack occurred south of the border, near the city of Najran.

Saudi forces then engaged in a shootout with the attackers who were identified as the Houthi rebels and the groups allied to them. The military then call in air strikes to bombard the rebel Houthi positions.

However, the BBC has not received an official statement from the rebels fighting the Houthi related reports in the Saudi border.

-Houthi rebels who control most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa-have fought against coalition forces of Saudi Arabia for several months.

But the attack on Thursday (30/04) was the first major battle in the Arab region since the air strikes began, the end of March. Saudi reports said dozens of rebels were killed.

From the Saudi side, the attack adds to the death toll to 14 people over the last five weeks. Two weeks ago, the UN said 551 civilians have been killed in the conflict - about half the number of deaths is estimated at the time.

Houthi rebels still control a number of areas in Yemen, despite Saudi airstrikes began in late March.

Fuel shortage

On Thursday (30/04), agency World Food Programme (WFP) said they were forced to withdraw from al-Hudaydah province after running out of fuel there.

The same thing expressed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which says that the lack of fuel - as well as restrictions on imports - resulting in hospital must strive to provide adequate care.

WFP has asked all parties involved in the battle to secure the corridor imported fuel and food.

Purnima Kashyap, director of the WFP in Yemen, said: "This is a country where half the population is experiencing food insecurity, which means that many families do not know where their food is coming tomorrow. It's important for us to continue to help these families with food , BBC