Saudi jets pound al-Houthi strongholds

SANAA, Yemen, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Saudi forces reportedly bombed al-Houthi rebel strongholds along the shared border with Yemen in a sign of an escalating fight against a growing insurgency.

Though Riyadh is a key backer of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the show of force is a rare display for the country.

Residents along the border region report frequent sorties of Saudi fighter jets crisscrossing the border with some eyewitness accounts pointing to troop activity along the border, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Mohammad Albasha, a spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy in Washington, called the reports a misinformation campaign by the rebel group.

"The Houthi insurgents continue to disseminate false information to deflect media attention from their collapsing morals and foothold," he said.

Yemen launched a major military campaign against al-Houthi rebels in early August. Both sides of the conflict blame external powers for backing their rivals, with Sanaa blaming Iran and the rebels pointing to Saudi involvement in the fight.

The conflict, which began to simmer in 2004, has displaced more than 100,000 people, prompting international relief groups to warn of a humanitarian disaster.