The rebels – backed by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh – say they are fighting against corruption and marginalisation of their northern powerbase by Mr Hadi’s government.
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Aden was Hadi’s last refuge before he fled into exile in Saudi Arabia in March.
Residents in the capital scrambled to stock up on food from stores as the black market price for 20 litres of petrol jumped to 60 dollars in recent days compared to an official price of 15 dollars.
The tanks were part of a package including other armored vehicles and personnel carriers as well as hundreds of Yemeni soldiers trained in the kingdom, a military source said. Clashes began during the weekend and on Sunday, the pro-Hadi fighters announced that they have taken over Zinjibar, the province’s capital. The rebels acknowledge an alliance with Iran but deny acting on its behalf.
The explosion happened late Friday, on the same day the pro-government forces retook Labouza, the last military base in the country’s south that was held by the Houthis.
Separately, three Emirati soldiers belonging to the forces of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia were also killed in Yemen, another security source said.
Pro-Hadi forces reclaimed the key southern port city of Aden in mid-July, the province of Lahij earlier this week and reportedly the Ad Dali province north of Aden on Saturday.
Peter Maurer, the president of the global Committee of the Red Cross, center, arrives at the worldwide airport in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, August 8, 2015.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to speak to journalists.
The organization says that 1.3 million Yemenis have been displaced by the conflict.
Doctors Without Borders, also known has Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF, told reporters in Jordan that it has treated more than 10,000 war-wounded in Yemen since March, including close to 5,000 who underwent surgery.
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The objective of the visit, Houthi officials said, is to discuss the possibility of ending the war and returning to the negotiating table with the exiled Yemeni government.
