icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
30 Mar, 2015 19:42

Heavy blasts outside Yemen’s capital, attack on Scud missile storage feared (VIDEO)

Heavy blasts outside Yemen’s capital, attack on Scud missile storage feared (VIDEO)

Pillars of fire are rising over the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, according to dramatic images flooding social media, amid reports that a Scud missile facility on Faj Attan Hill, just outside the city, has fallen under a new attack.

#Saudi airstrikes in #Sanaa#Yemen now pic.twitter.com/uSObVgrfGG

— Mete Sohtaoğlu (@metesohtaoglu) March 30, 2015

SCUD facility overlooking #Sanaa is in fire since more than 45mins after bombing it.. #Yemen#OpDecisiveStorm#Saudipic.twitter.com/d48AIceNe0

— Rami (@RamiAlLolah) March 30, 2015

The reports have not yet been confirmed. It is also not immediately clear whether the coalition's airstrikes are the direct cause of the blast.

People living in the neighborhood of Faj Attan mount report continuous explosions. They are terrified. Increased panic in #Sanaa. #Yemen

— Yemen Updates (@yemen_updates) March 30, 2015

The warehouses already came under fire both the previous night and the day before that. The base reportedly stores a large portion of Yemen's R-17 Elbrus (Scud-B) missiles and Transporter Erector Launchers (TEL).

The Saudi-led coalition of several Gulf States, Sudan, Egypt and Morocco has been bombing Yemen since last Thursday in an attempt to weaken the Houthi rebels, who took control of country after resignation of president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, in January.

BREAKING: Tens of Missiles explode after #Saudi Airstrikes targets a missile depot in heart of Sanaa. #Yemen #اليمنpic.twitter.com/sYCUvUJrGQ

— Alex Saffu (@SalfiyahS) March 30, 2015

Also on Monday, an airstrike by the coalition hit a rebel-controlled refugee camp in the northern Yemen, killing 45 and injuring another 65 people, the International Organization for Migration (IMO) said.

READ MORE: ‘45 people killed, 65 injured’: Yemen refugee camp hit by airstrike

An arms depot was also bombarded in the country’s second city of Aden on Saturday, leaving 14 people dead.

@hamzaalkamaly: #صور واضحة للانفجارات في مخازن الاسلحة الان #عاصفة_الحزم في عطان #Yemen hd pics of explosion pic.twitter.com/S6YAASkQ1M

— Sama'a Al-Hamdani (@Yemeniaty) March 30, 2015

The Houthi uprising began in Yemen last August as the Shia rebels swept down from their stronghold in the mountains, demanding economic and political reforms.

In the following months, they seized key state installations in capital Sanaa and forced the country’s US-backed authorities out.

Epic #photo.. #Sanaa mosques & explosions of SCUD storage in Atan in the background.. #Yemen#OpDecisiveStorm#Saudipic.twitter.com/UdIRZcigqx

— Rami (@RamiAlLolah) March 30, 2015

Podcasts
0:00
28:18
0:00
25:17