International community calls for pause in fighting as battles continue in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition forces continued airstrikes on military targets in Yemen's capital of Sanaa on Saturday, as the international community was calling for an immediate halt in the battles.

Local residents said the airstrikes began midnight Friday and lasted till Saturday dawn, which hit several military sites and air defense bases in Sanaa.

The airstrikes hit an ammunition depot in Saref area in northern Sanaa, triggering series of powerful explosions that shook the residential neighborhoods for more than two hours.

The overnight strikes also targeted three locations, including a school used by Houthi fighters in al-Jeraf residential quarter on the road to the Sanaa international airport, according to witnesses.

Houthi-controlled state-run Saba news agency reported that six people were killed in the fresh air raids.

The Arab coalition also pounded Houthi militias in the southern port city of Aden and Red Sea port of al-Hodayda, as well as Taiz, Shabwa, Marib, al-Jouf and Saada provinces.

On the ground, battles intensified between Houthis and pro-government tribal fighters in several cities, said local official sources.

The sources noted that at least 26 Houthis were killed Friday night in the oil-rich Marib province and another 20 were killed in the Red Sea port city of al-Hodayda.

Meanwhile, Houthi sources said their leadership is considering to form a military council and a government to replace the exiled cabinet that is taking refuge in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

On March 26, the Saudi-led coalition began daily airstrikes against Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, aiming to restore the authority of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

More than three months of airstrikes and battles halted power and food supplies in the country which has caused severe humanitarian crisis.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate end to the fighting in Yemen to help stem the unfolding humanitarian "catastrophe."

He called on the parties to agree, at the very minimum, on an immediate pause in hostilities until the end of the holy month of Ramadan, so that humanitarian aid can be delivered into and across Yemen and reach people cut off from vital supplies for months, according to a UN statement.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) started a distribution of food across the front lines in the southern port of Aden, a main battle field between the warring parties.

The ICRC said in a statement on Friday that the consignment of more than 160 tons of food will cover the emergency needs of 17,500 people.

Around half of Aden's population are displaced from their homes, seeking shelter in any available space in the town, it added.

Meanwhile, a UN statement said Friday that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had been able to get basic relief to 56,369 people and plastic sheeting for emergency shelters to further 7,000 families who had been staying in collective centers in May and June.