2 Houthi drones shot down in northern Yemen

MARIB, Yemen

Two Houthi rebel drones were shot down in northern Yemen, the country’s military said Monday.

The drones were destroyed in Marib province, with one allegedly preparing to attack a public market, it said.

The Saudi-led coalition launched six airstrikes in Marib and Al-Jawf provinces, according to the official Saba News Agency.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sana'a.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict in Yemen has so far claimed over 233,000 lives.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Istanbul.