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SANAA, Yemen, March 26 (UPI) -- At least 18 people have been killed in airstrikes across Sanaa, Yemen, by the Saudi Arabian "Decisive Storm" coalition. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the coalition's actions on Yemen, calling it "military aggression" and demanding all operations to cease.
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Saudi Arabia and several of its Gulf allies believe the Houthi rebels are an Iranian proxy used in an attempt to bolster Iran's power in the country. The Houthis deny receiving Iranian support.
Saudi Arabia has pledged to contribute 150,000 soldiers and 100 war planes to the coalition that includes Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, Pakistan and Egypt -- all of whom have offered fighter jets or naval ships.
The United States has agreed to an interagency coordination team to offer limited support to the coalition with logistics, intelligence and similar aspects, but no military intervention, the Obama administration has said.
The Saudi coalition has struck military and strategic buildings in Sanaa, including the al-Daylami air base, the international airport in north Sanaa and the presidential complex, which the rebels seized in January.
Yemen Post editor Hakim Al Masmari said, "People are terrified."
"It's [bombing] not in any particular location in Sanaa, it's throughout the capital," he told Al-Jazeera.
The military operation "Decisive Storm" was launched Wednesday by Saudi Arabia after the rebels overtook parts of the port city of Aden.
The Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, told reporters the country is acting to "defend the legitimate government" of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Hadi's location remains unclear. A Houthi spokesman said Hadi left on a boat with a Saudi diplomatic team, but there are conflicting reports that say Hadi is still in Aden.
