AFP, Aug. 9, 2016 – Saudi-led coalition warplanes have resumed air strikes on Yemen’s capital for the first time in more than three months, shutting down the airport on Tuesday, residents and an airport official said.
Coalition spokesman General Ahmed Assiri confirmed that the air strikes against Iran-backed rebels had restarted and led to the closure of Sanaa airport, saying warplanes hit military targets “around” the city.
The raids in Sanaa began late the previous day and intensified on Tuesday, residents said.
The raids come less than 72 hours after UN-brokered peace talks were suspended following the appointment by the Shiite rebels and their allies of a council to run Yemen.
A ceasefire came into effect on April 11 but failed to hold as all parties traded accusations of violations.
Assiri said the coalition had respected the truce for three months but had resumed operations because of increased violations by the rebels and the failure of peace talks in Kuwait.
He confirmed that flights had been suspended at Sanaa airport for at least 72 hours.

  Smoke billows following a reported airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on August 9, 2016

 
“Operations are ongoing, and this could endanger flights,” Assiri told AFP.
Sanaa airport director Khalid al-Shayef said the facility would be shut for 72 hours, starting from Tuesday morning, on the order of Saudi Arabia.