Saudi-led coalition strikes telecoms building in Yemen’s capital: Houthi TV

SANAA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) — The Saudi-led coalition has launched three airstrikes on a building of the Yemeni state-owned telecommunications company TeleYemen, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported late Monday.

The attack damaged the building and equipment in the al-Jiraf neighbourhood, and cut off TeleYemen’s international call service, al-Masirah reported without providing further details.

There were no reports of casualties.

Last week, the coalition called on civilians not to approach the targeted sites, accusing the Houthi rebels of using civilian facilities for military purposes, which was denied by the Houthis.

The Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militia has recently intensified cross-border ballistic missile and bomb-laden drone attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, a key member of the Saudi-led Arab coalition backing the Yemeni army.

The escalation comes after the Houthis lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich provinces of Shabwa and Marib in central Yemen in January.