On Saturday, At least nine civilians have been killed in overnight air raids east of Yemen's third city of Taiz, a medic and rebel forces said. Two children were among the nine killed in the air strikes blamed on the Saudi-led military coalition, which is fighting on the side of the government against Houthi rebels, a doctor at Al-Thawra hospital told the AFP news agency. 

The doctor, who requested anonymity, said on Saturday a number of other people were also wounded. The Houthis said the coalition targeted a petrol station in Taiz province, according to the rebel-run Saba news agency. 

The city of Taiz, which is controlled by pro-government forces supported by the coalition, is under siege by the rebels. Saudi Arabia and the UAE head a Western-backed coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognised government ousted from power by the Houthis.

Earlier this month, the International Crisis Group said the rebels had made gains against Emirati-backed forces to the east of Taiz, taking control of two towns and threatening to cut road links to Aden.