UN Evacuates Staff As Warplanes Pound Yemen

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The United Nations has evacuated its staff from the Yemeni capital Sanaa, as a Saudi-led air campaign pounds Shia rebel targets across the country.

Health officials said at least 54 people have died in the southern city Aden alone in the three-day bombardment by Saudi Arabia and its fellow Sunni-ruled allies.

A convoy of rebel fighters advancing on Aden was bombarded on Saturday, residents said.

Explosions at the city's biggest arms depot left at least nine badly injured, a health official said.

And warplanes targeted an airport in the rebel-held capital, according to residents and an official.

The air campaign is an attempt to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was ousted from Sanaa in September by the Shia rebels, known as the Houthis.

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Gallery: Yemen: Aftermath Of Airstrikes By Saudi Arabia And Gulf Allies

People search for survivors under the rubble of houses destroyed by an air strike near Sana'a Airport in Yemen. Continue through for more images

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Mr Hadi also fled Aden earlier this week in the face of a military push by the rebels, who are believed to have been encouraged by Mr Hadi's ousted predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh.

A UN source has told Reuters that more than 100 staff members have left and they would move to several countries.

It has also emerged that two Saudi warships evacuated dozens of its foreign diplomats from Aden on Wednesday - hours before the airstrikes started.

The evacuations came as Arab leaders, including Mr Hadi, meet at a summit in the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss the crisis.

Yemen's President, speaking at the meeting, called the Shia rebels "stooges of Iran" and blamed Iran for the chaos in his country.

"I tell Iran's puppet ... 'You are the one that destroyed Yemen with your political immaturity'," Mr Hadi said.

Other leaders obliquely referenced Iran at the opening session of the Arab League summit.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi said that military intervention had been "inevitable" due to meddling by a foreign power.

He also endorsed the creation of a joint Arab military force, saying that the Arab world was facing "unprecedented" threats.

Without mentioning it by name, Mr Sisi accused Shia, non-Arab Iran of meddling in Arab affairs.

Iran and the Houthis deny that Tehran is arming the rebel movement.

Mr Hadi demanded the air campaign in his country continue until the rebels surrender and "their leaders turn themselves in to face justice."

"I call for this operation to continue until this gang surrenders and withdraws from all locations it has occupied in every province," he told the Arab summit.

He also called for peaceful demonstrations in Yemen in support of his government.

Saudi Arabian King Salman told the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting that military intervention would continue until "security" is brought to impoverished Yemen.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, at the summit, said negotiations were the only way to prevent a long-term conflict in Yemen.

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