HOUTHI fighters defied Saudi-led air strikes to seize a provincial capital in a heavily Sunni tribal area yesterday.

The rebels and military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh overran Ataq, capital of the oil-rich south-eastern Shabwa province, after days of bombings and clashes with Sunni tribes.

The capture is their first significant gain since the air strikes began.

A Saudi-led coalition has imposed an air and sea blockade on Yemen and targeted both rebels and military units loyal to Mr Saleh, hoping to eventually allow President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to return to the country.

Iran, which supports the Houthis and has sent humanitarian aid to Yemen, condemned the air campaign.

“This is a crime, genocide and legally pursuable,” said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In a speech yesterday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani urged a ceasefire in Yemen to allow negotiations to be held.

“Let’s adopt the spirit of brotherhood, let’s respect each other and other nations. Let’s think about an end to the war, about ceasefire and humanitarian assistance to the suffering people of Yemen,” he said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meanwhile held talks in Islamabad with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in an effort to push for peace negotiations.

But the United States said that it was working to resupply the Saudis with weapons as quickly as possible.

During the Arab Spring, the US supported Mr Saleh while his security forces were shooting protesters.

by Our Foreign Desk