Saudi-led airstrikes kill 40 in Yemen's capital

The Saudi-led coalition bombed military camps in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday, killing at least 40 people and wounding 100 others, Yemen's official Saba news agency reported.

The report said the air raids were targeted against the military bases on al-Nahdain Mountain and the Special Security Forces camp in Sanaa, which have been controlled by the Shia Houthi group since September last year.

The coalition Wednesday destroyed the naval base in the Red Sea city of al-Hodayda, as well as military camps in the provinces of Taiz, Hajja, Marib and Saada, Xinhua news agency reported.

Saudi Arabia, along with eight other Arab states, has been bombing Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26, with the aim of reinstating the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, forced to flee the country and currently being hosted by the Saudis.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested on Tuesday that the special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, postpone the planned consultations aiming towards a peaceful Yemeni-led political transition process in Yemen, according to a statement.

"The secretary-general is disappointed that it has not been possible to commence such an important initiative at the soonest possible date and he reiterates his call for all parties to engage in United Nations-facilitated consultations in good faith and without preconditions," the statement read.

"He also reiterated that the only durable resolution to the crisis in Yemen is an inclusive negotiated political settlement," it added.

The consultations, which were due to be held in Geneva on May 28, would have united all Yemeni factions, including the government, the Shia Houthi group, Saleh's party and other stakeholders in an effort to stop the battles in Yemen.