Saudi Arabia claims killing of Yemen rebel leader

AFP  |  Riyadh 

has confirmed it was behind the air strike that killed the number two of Yemen's Huthi rebels last week, with insurgents warning they would avenge his death.

Sammad, of the Huthis' supreme political council, was killed Thursday in the western province of Hodeida, the Iran-allied rebels said.

The Huthis are battling the Saudi-backed -- and a military coalition spearheaded by -- for control of the impoverished country.

Khaled said the strike was overseen by his brother, Crown Mohammed bin Salman, after Sammad threatened a wave of missile strikes against

Mohammed, who is also the Saudi defence minister, has been the driving force behind Riyadh's intervention in the devastating war.

The conflict has claimed nearly 10,000 lives in three years and pushed to the brink of famine.

Sammad is the most senior Huthi to have been killed since the coalition intervened in March 2015 and his death is a major blow to the Shiite rebels.

The killing sparked threats of revenge by rebel chief on Monday, who warned the "crime" would not "go unanswered".

The Huthis have this year regularly launched ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia, which shares a land border with northern

One person has been killed in the attacks.

Ports in Yemen, which is dependent on for the survival of the population, remain blockaded by the Saudi-led coalition in retaliation for the missile strikes.

The has called the war the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, April 25 2018. 14:55 IST