Al-Houthi rebels storm Saudi border

SANAA, Yemen, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Saudi authorities on Wednesday said al-Houthi rebels from Yemen ambushed and killed several security officers during gun battles along the border.

Conflict erupted between al-Houthi fighters and Saudi security forces as Yemeni insurgents stormed the border from their strongholds in the northern provinces of Yemen, the Yemeni Post reports.

The report says al-Houthi rebels blame the government of Saudi Arabia for supporting Yemeni military efforts against the Shiite militant group.

Yemeni government forces have battled al-Houthi rebels since 2004. A major military crackdown in the northern provinces of Yemen launched in August sparked concern from international relief groups who said the violence was creating a humanitarian crisis.

Rebel fighters have blocked key access roads in Yemen and destroyed Saudi property in an effort to undermine bilateral ties between the two neighbors, the report said.

Yemen blames regional affiliations from Iran to Egypt for backing the rebel fighters. The Post report said several analysts believe al-Houthi fighters are trying to attract fighters from across the area to escalate the conflict to all-out war.