Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Drone explodes above a podium where officials were watching a military parade at al-Anad base in Yemen.

A drone attack on a Yemeni government base by the rebel Houthi movement has reportedly killed six soldiers.

The drone exploded above a podium at al-Anad base, in the southern province of Lahj, where high-ranking officers and officials were watching a parade.

Medics said army deputy chief of staff Gen Saleh al-Zindani and Lahj governor Ahmed al-Turki were among those hurt.

A Houthi-run TV channel said the rebels had targeted personnel from the Saudi-led coalition backing the government.

The attack threatens to derail UN peace efforts, which last month saw both sides agree to a ceasefire around the lifeline Red Sea port of Hudaydah, which is crucial to the delivery of aid supplies.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Soldiers scrambled to carry wounded comrades to military vehicles

A Houthi military source told Al-Masirah TV that Thursday's attack targeted "invaders" - an apparent reference to coalition personnel - and "mercenaries" at al-Anad, which which is about 60km (40 miles) north of the second city of Aden.

It was carried out after "careful monitoring of gatherings and movements" at the base, he added.

Video footage of the incident showed the drone approaching the parade ground rapidly and at low altitude before exploding above the covered VIP podium.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," local journalist Nabil al-Qaiti, who was at the parade, told the Associated Press.

"The drone was packed with explosives," he added.

Medics at the Ibn Khaldoun hospital in the nearby city of Houta told AFP news agency that six soldiers were killed and 12 people were injured in the attack.

They said the wounded include Gen Zindani, Mr Turki, intelligence chief Brig-Gen Mohammed Saleh Tamah, and senior army commander Fadel Hasan.

Chief of staff Gen Abdullah al-Nakhi was also at the base when the drone struck, but there are conflicting reports about whether he was hurt.

It was not immediately clear if any coalition military officials were present.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Medics said the army's deputy chief of staff and the governor of Lahj province were wounded

Later, Houthi military spokesman Gen Yehia Sari announced that a new kind of drone had been used.

The Qasef-2K, he added, was designed to blow up about 20m (65ft) off the ground, sending shrapnel towards a target.

Saudi-owned TV channels described the drone as "Iranian made".

Iran has denied supplying weapons to the rebels. But a UN panel of experts said last year that the Houthis' Qasef-1 drone was "virtually identical in design, dimensions, and capability" to Iran's Ababil-T drone.

Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani tweeted that "the crime of targeting the base will not go unanswered".

The attack, he added, showed the Houthis did "not believe in the language of peace" and "only understand the language of weapons".

Image copyright AFP Image caption Saudi-owned TV channels described the drone as Iranian made, without offering evidence

The attack comes a day after the UN special envoy to Yemen said the warring parties had largely stuck to the ceasefire around Hudaydah.

However, Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council that "substantial progress" was needed before further talks could be held on ending the war.

Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in early 2015, when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad.

Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government.

At least 6,800 civilians have been killed and 10,700 injured in the fighting, according to the UN. Thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health.</s>Drone explodes above a podium where officials were watching a military parade at a Yemeni base

A drone attack on a Yemeni government base by the rebel Houthi movement has reportedly killed six soldiers.

The drone exploded above a podium at al-Anad base, in the southern province of Lahj, where high-ranking officers and officials were watching a parade.

Medics said army deputy chief of staff Gen Saleh al-Zindani and Lahj governor Ahmed al-Turki were among those hurt.

A Houthi-run TV channel said the rebels had targeted personnel from the Saudi-led coalition backing the government.

The attack threatens to derail UN peace efforts, which last month saw both sides agree to a ceasefire around the lifeline Red Sea port of Hudaydah, which is crucial to the delivery of aid supplies.

A Houthi military source told Al-Masirah TV that Thursday's attack targeted "invaders" - an apparent reference to coalition personnel - and "mercenaries" at al-Anad, which which is about 60km (40 miles) north of the second city of Aden.

It was carried out after "careful monitoring of gatherings and movements" at the base, he added.

Video footage of the incident showed the drone approaching the parade ground rapidly and at low altitude before exploding above the covered VIP podium.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," local journalist Nabil al-Qaiti, who was at the parade, told the Associated Press.

"The drone was packed with explosives," he added.

Medics at the Ibn Khaldoun hospital in the nearby city of Houta told AFP news agency that six soldiers were killed and 12 people were injured in the attack.

They said the wounded include Gen Zindani, Mr Turki, intelligence chief Brig-Gen Mohammed Saleh Tamah, and senior army commander Fadel Hasan.

Chief of staff Gen Abdullah al-Nakhi was also at the base when the drone struck, but there are conflicting reports about whether he was hurt.

It was not immediately clear if any coalition military officials were present.



 Medics said the army's deputy chief of staff and the governor of Lahj province were wounded

Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the attack proved that the Houthis "are not ready for peace". He said the rebels are "exploiting truces" as an opportunity to redeploy their fighters.

The attack comes a day after the UN special envoy to Yemen said the warring parties had largely stuck to the ceasefire around the pivotal Hudaydah port.

However, Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council that "substantial progress" was needed before further talks could be held on ending the civil war.



 Saudi-owned TV channels described the drone as Iranian made, without offering evidence

Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in early 2015, when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad.

Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government.

At least 6,800 civilians have been killed and 10,700 injured in the fighting, according to the UN. Thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health.</s>Rebel drone bombs Yemen military parade, killing at least six and threatening peace talks

A bomb-laden drone flown by Yemen's Houthi rebels has hit a military parade outside Aden, killing at least six troops from a Saudi-led coalition and their allies.

It struck the Al Anad Air Base, where American special forces once led their fight against Yemen's Al Qaeda branch, targeting high-ranking military officials in Yemen's internationally recognised government.

Thursday's brazen attack has threatened UN-brokered peace efforts to end the years-long war in the Arab world's poorest nation.

It has also raised new questions about Iran's alleged role in arming the Houthis with drone and ballistic missile technology, something long denied by Tehran despite researchers and UN experts linking the weapons to the country.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces in order for deployment and reinforcements," Yemen's Information Minister Moammar Al Eryani said.

The Houthis immediately claimed the attack through their Al Masirah satellite news channel, saying they had targeted "invaders and mercenaries" at the base in the Southern province of Lahj, leaving "dozens of dead and wounded".

Yemeni officials said that among the wounded were Mohammad Saleh Tamah, head of Yemen's Intelligence Service, senior military commander Mohammad Jawas, and Lahj governor Ahmed Al Turki.

Authorities were still searching for wounded among the rubble hours after the attack.

Local reporter Nabil Al Qaiti was attending the ceremony and standing in front of the stage when he saw a drone approach and hover nearby, about 25 metres high in the air, minutes after the parade started.

Army spokesman Mohammed Al Naqib was delivering a speech from a podium when the drone exploded.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," he said, adding that two of the people standing next to him — a soldier and a journalist — were wounded.

Mr Al Qaiti saw many wounded but no dead.

Some 8,000 soldiers had been taking part in the parade, as well as two governors and a large number of top military commanders including the chief of staff.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured Sanaa, and the Saudi-led coalition intervened a year later when they pushed further south.

The coalition, which is fighting alongside government troops, has since been trying to restore Yemen's internationally recognised government to power.

Hopes were raised last month that the country was moving toward peace after the two sides agreed to a prisoner swap and cease-fire in the port city of Hodeida.

Rival forces were to withdraw to allow humanitarian aid flows to return and hopefully relieve a country pushed to the brink of famine by war.

Fighting has largely abated in Hodeida but progress on the withdrawal has been slow.

The UN humanitarian aid chief on Wednesday accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian supplies travelling from areas under their control to government-held areas.

Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that the rebels also recently informed humanitarian agencies that 72 hours' notice is required ahead of any movements instead of 48 hours.

Officials in the Saudi-led coalition have shown journalists a series of drones they said displayed a growing sophistication by the Houthis, starting first with plastic foam models that could be built by hobby kit, to one captured in April that closely resembled an Iranian-made drone.

Those drones have in the past been flown into the radar arrays of Saudi Arabia's Patriot missile batteries, according to the research group Conflict Armament Research, disabling them and allowing the Houthis to fire ballistic missiles into the kingdom unchallenged.

Iran has been accused by the US and the UN of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis.</s>A bomb-laden drone flown by Yemen's Houthi rebels flew into a military parade on Thursday outside of the southern port city of Aden, killing at least six troops from a Saudi-led coalition and their allies in a brazen attack threatening U.N.-brokered peace efforts to end the yearslong war tearing at the Arab world's poorest nation.

The attack at the Al-Anad Air Base, where American special forces once led their fight against Yemen's al-Qaida branch, targeted high-ranking military officials in Yemen's internationally recognized government.

The attack also raised new questions about Iran's alleged role in arming the Houthis with drone and ballistic missile technology, something long denied by Tehran despite researchers and U.N. experts linking the weapons to the Islamic Republic.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces in order for deployment and reinforcements," said Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani, who said two senior military officials were wounded in the attack.

"This is time for the international community to stand by the legitimate government and force the militias to give up their weapons and pull out of the cities," he added.

The Houthis immediately claimed the attack through their al-Masirah satellite news channel, saying the attack targeted "invaders and mercenaries" at the base in the southern province of Lahj, leaving "dozens of dead and wounded."

Yemeni officials said that among the wounded were Mohammad Saleh Tamah, head of Yemen's Intelligence Service, senior military commander Mohammad Jawas, and Lahj governor Ahmed al-Turki, adding that authorities were still searching for wounded among the rubble. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

Local reporter Nabil al-Qaiti was attending the ceremony and standing in front of the stage when he saw a drone approach and hover nearby about 25 meters (yards) high in the air, minutes after the parade started. Army spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib was delivering a speech from a podium when the drone exploded.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," he said, adding that two of the people standing next to him — a soldier and a journalist — were wounded. Al-Qaiti saw many wounded but no dead.

"The drone was packed with explosives," he added.

Some 8,000 soldiers had been taking part in the parade, as well as two governors and a large number of top military commanders including the chief of staff. Initial reports said six troops were killed.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured Sanaa, and the Saudi-led coalition intervened a year later when they pushed further south. The coalition, which is fighting alongside government troops, has since been trying to restore Yemen's internationally recognized government to power.

Hopes were raised last month that the country was moving toward peace, after the two sides agreed to a prisoner swap and cease-fire in the port city of Hodeida, where rival forces were to withdraw to allow humanitarian aid flows to return and hopefully relieve a country pushed to the brink of famine by war.

Fighting has largely abated in Hodeida but progress on the withdrawal has been slow. The U.N. humanitarian aid chief Wednesday accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian supplies traveling from areas under their control to government-held areas. Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council that the rebels also recently informed humanitarian agencies that 72 hours' notice is required ahead of any movements instead of 48 hours.

Officials in the Saudi-led coalition have shown journalists a series of drones they said showed a growing sophistication by the Houthis, starting first with plastic foam models that could be built by hobby kit to one captured in April that closely resembled an Iranian-made drone.

Those drones have in the past been flown into the radar arrays of Saudi Arabia's Patriot missile batteries, according to the research group Conflict Armament Research, disabling them and allowing the Houthis to fire ballistic missiles into the kingdom unchallenged.

Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, something Tehran denies.

Arab satellite channels owned by Saudi Arabia immediately began describing the drone used in Thursday's attack as Iranian made, without offering evidence. However, a United Nations panel of experts on Yemen issued a report in 2018 noting that the Houthi's Qasef-1 drone "is virtually identical in design, dimensions and capability to that of the Ababil-T, manufactured by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries."

"At least two components of the system were supplied to the Islamic Republic of Iran after the implementation of the targeted arms embargo" in April 2015, the panel said.

The Ababil-T can deliver up to a 45-kilogram (100-pound) warhead up to 150 kilometers (95 miles) away.

Such drones also remain difficult to shoot down with either light or heavy weapons fire. Iraqi forces learned while driving out the Islamic State group from northern Iraq, where the extremists would load drones with grenades or simple explosives to target their forces.</s>Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Peace in Yemen was disrupted Thursday when a drone loaded with bombs exploded above a military parade, killing at least five soldiers and wounding dozens more, officials said.

The drone appeared to target senior military officers of Yemen's government at a parade at the al-Anad base Thursday. More than a dozen military personnel were injured, including the head of Yemen's Intelligence Service Mohammad Saleh Tamah, senior military commander Mohammad Jawas and Lahij governor Ahmed al-Turki, Al Jazeera reported. Yemeni Gen. Tabit Jawas disputed reports that senior leaders were hurt.

"We are all safe, our situations is good and our health is good," Jawas said in a video.

Houthi spokesman Abdul Guddoos al-Shahari said Yemeni Army chief of staff Abdullah Al-Nakhee was also hurt. The rebel group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it targeted "invaders and mercenaries."

Officials said the drone was loaded with more than 150 pounds of explosives.

The drone attack complicates the peace talks and raises questions about Iran's role in arming the Houthi rebels.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces in order for deployment and reinforcements," said Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryan. "This is time for the international community to stand by the legitimate government and force the militias to give up their weapons and pull out of the cities."

The United Nations peace deal, brokered last month, ordered Houthi rebels to turn over the port city of Hudaydah so humanitarian aid could arrive. Policy experts said it wasn't clear who should take control of the key port, however, which has led to confusion.

Martin Griffiths, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, has said he will meet with Houthi rebel leaders to reach a lasting peace agreement.</s>Houthi rebels used an explosive-packed drone to target Yemen’s military leaders at an army parade on Thursday, killing six soldiers and wounding several senior officers.

The Iranian-backed rebels detonated the drone above a ceremonial dais, spraying Yemeni officers with shrapnel and causing the ceremony to dissolve into chaos.

The attack showed a surprising level of sophistication for the Houthi rebels and is likely to further undermine UN efforts to broker a peace deal to end the Yemen’s brutal four-year war.

Video of the attack showed the drone screeching down from the cloudy sky and exploding a few metres above the dais where Yemeni officers were watching the military parade. Six soldiers were killed in the blast.

Ahmed al-Turki, governor of Lahj province, was wounded in the attack along with several senior military and intelligence officers. General Abdullah al-Nakhi, the army chief of staff, was at the parade but appears to have escaped unarmed.</s>A bomb-laden drone flown by Yemen's Houthi rebels had flown into a military parade outside of the southern port city of Aden, killing at least six troops from a Saudi-led coalition and their allies.

The brazen attack threatens UN-brokered peace efforts to end the years-long war tearing at the Arab world's poorest nation.

The attack at the Al-Anad Air Base, where American special forces once led their fight against Yemen's al-Qaeda branch, targeted high-ranking military officials in Yemen's internationally recognised government.

The attack also raised new questions about Iran's alleged role in arming the Houthis with drone and ballistic missile technology, something long denied by Tehran despite researchers and UN experts linking the weapons to the Islamic Republic.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces in order for deployment and reinforcements," said Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani, who said two senior military officials were wounded in the attack.

"This is time for the international community to stand by the legitimate government and force the militias to give up their weapons and pull out of the cities," he added.

The Houthis immediately claimed the attack through their al-Masirah satellite news channel, saying the attack targeted "invaders and mercenaries" at the base in the southern province of Lahj, leaving "dozens of dead and wounded."

Yemeni officials said that among the wounded were Mohammad Saleh Tamah, head of Yemen's Intelligence Service, senior military commander Mohammad Jawas, and Lahj governor Ahmed al-Turki, adding that authorities were still searching for wounded among the rubble.

Local reporter Nabil al-Qaiti was attending the ceremony and standing in front of the stage when he saw a drone approach and hover nearby about 25 metres high in the air, minutes after the parade started. Army spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib was delivering a speech from a podium when the drone exploded.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," he said, adding that two of the people standing next to him - a soldier and a journalist- were wounded. Al-Qaiti saw many wounded but no dead.

"The drone was packed with explosives," he added.

Some 8000 soldiers had been taking part in the parade, as well as two governors and a large number of top military commanders including the chief of staff. Initial reports said six troops were killed.

Hopes were raised last month that the country was moving toward peace, after the two sides agreed to a prisoner swap and ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida, where rival forces were to withdraw to allow humanitarian aid flows to return and hopefully relieve a country pushed to the brink of famine by war.</s>SANAA, Yemen -- A bomb-laden drone launched by Yemen's Shiite rebels exploded over a military parade for the Saudi-led coalition and its allies on Thursday near the southern port city of Aden, killing at least six people in a brazen attack that threatened U.N.-brokered peace efforts to end the yearslong war tearing at the Arab world's poorest nation.

The attack at the Al-Anad Air Base, where American special forces once led their fight against Yemen's al-Qaida branch, targeted high-ranking military officials in Yemen's internationally recognized government with what the rebel Houthis described as a new version of one of their drones.

The attack also raised new questions about Iran's alleged role in arming the Houthis with drone and ballistic missile technology, something long denied by Tehran despite researchers and U.N. experts linking the Yemeni rebel weapons to the Islamic Republic.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces in order for deployment and reinforcements," said Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani, who said two senior military officials were wounded in the attack.

"This is time for the international community to stand by the legitimate government and force the militias to give up their weapons and pull out of the cities," he added.

The Houthis immediately claimed the attack through their al-Masirah satellite news channel, saying the attack targeted "invaders and mercenaries" at the base in the southern province of Lahj, leaving "dozens of dead and wounded."

Yemeni officials said that among the wounded were Mohammad Saleh Tamah, head of Yemen's Intelligence Service, senior military commander Mohammad Jawas, and Lahj governor Ahmed al-Turki, adding that authorities were still searching for wounded among the rubble. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

Local reporter Nabil al-Qaiti was attending the ceremony and standing in front of the stage when he saw a drone approach at a height of about 25 metres (82 feet) in the air, minutes after the parade started. Army spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib was delivering a speech from a podium when the drone exploded.

"It was a very strong explosion and we could feel the pressure," he said, adding that two of the people standing next to him -- a soldier and another journalist-- were wounded. Al-Qaiti saw many wounded but no dead.

"The drone was packed with explosives," he added.

Some 8,000 soldiers had been taking part in the parade, as well as two governors and a large number of top military commanders, including the chief of staff. Initial reports said six troops were killed.

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels captured Sanaa, the country's capital. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015 as government forces looked poised to lose Aden to the Houthi advance. The U.S. supported the Saudi-led coalition for years despite its airstrikes killing civilians, only recently beginning to step back after the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

The two sides last month agreed to a prisoner swap and cease-fire in the port city of Hodeida, through which much of the country's humanitarian aid flows, in an effort to provide relief to a country pushed to the brink of famine by the war.

Fighting has largely abated in Hodeida but progress on the withdrawal has been slow. The U.N. humanitarian aid chief Wednesday accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian supplies travelling from areas under their control to government-held areas.

The use of drones also raised new concerns over Iran's influence in the conflict. Officials in the Saudi-led coalition have shown journalists a series of drones they said showed a growing sophistication by the Houthis, starting first with plastic foam models that could be built by hobby kit to one captured in April that closely resembled an Iranian-made drone.

Those drones have in the past been flown into the radar arrays of Saudi Arabia's Patriot missile batteries, according to the research group Conflict Armament Research, disabling them and allowing the Houthis to fire ballistic missiles into the kingdom unchallenged.

Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, something Tehran denies.

Houthi media quoted its military describing the drone as a new variant of its Qasef, or "Striker," drone. The drone, a Qasef-2K, has been designed to explode from a height of 20 metres -- about 65 feet -- in the air and rain shrapnel down on its target, according to the Houthis.

A United Nations panel of experts on Yemen issued a report in 2018 noting that the Houthi's Qasef-1 drone "is virtually identical in design, dimensions and capability to that of the Ababil-T, manufactured by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries." The Ababil-T can deliver up to a 45-kilogram (100-pound) warhead up to 150 kilometres (95 miles) away.

Such drones remain difficult to shoot down with either light or heavy weapons fire. Iraqi forces learned while driving out the Islamic State group from northern Iraq, where the extremists would load drones with grenades or simple explosives to target their forces.

Qasef drones are launched with pre-programmed co-ordinates to follow, unlike other drones where a pilot flies it with a video link, said Jeremy Binnie, a weapons expert who works as the Middle East and Africa editor at Jane's Defence Weekly.

"They're like slow missiles. Once they are launched, there is no control," Binnie said. "They do have excellent intelligence on the ground. They needed to specifically know when those guys are in the stands to be able to target."</s>SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A bomb-laden drone launched by Yemen's Shiite rebels exploded over a military parade Thursday for the Saudi-led coalition, killing at least six people in a brazen attack threatening an uneasy U.N.-brokered peace in the Arab world's poorest nation.

The attack at the Al-Anad Air Base showed the unwillingness of Yemen's Houthi rebels to halt fighting in the civil war, even if it doesn't violate a peace deal reached last month in Sweden between them and Yemen's internationally recognized government.

The Houthi attack near the southern port city of Aden with a new drone variant also raised more questions about Iran's alleged role in arming the rebels with drone and ballistic missile technology, something long denied by Tehran despite researchers and U.N. experts linking the weapons to the Islamic Republic.

The assault shocked the pro-government troops, who carried away the dead and wounded, their fatigues stained with blood. All the victims were government forces, officials said.

"We were under the impression that the coalition has a tight control over airspace and there is no way the Houthis can send drones or planes to attack us in the south," said Mohammed Ali, a solider in Al-Annad 2nd Brigade guarding the parade.

Yemeni army spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib was speaking at a podium during the parade, with photos of Yemen's president and Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia's crown princes behind him, when a high-pitched whine drew his attention and others. A moment later, the drone exploded overhead, pelting him and others with shrapnel.

In the chaotic aftermath, soldiers carried away a severely wounded comrade. A pool of blood collected in front of the plush seats set aside for high-ranking military officials.

At least six people were killed, medical officials said. Among the wounded were Yemeni Military Intelligence Service chief Mohammad Saleh Tamah; Deputy Chief of Staff Saleh al-Zindani; senior military commander Mohammad Jawas; and Lahj Gov. Ahmed al-Turki, Yemeni officials said. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists.

The Houthis immediately claimed the attack in the southern province of Lahj at a base where U.S. special forces once led their own drone war against Yemen's al-Qaida branch.

Although the attack did not technically violate a cease-fire negotiated last month for the port of Hodeida, it was hoped that deal might eventually lead to a general de-escalation in the fighting.

"Once again this proves that the Houthi criminal militias are not ready for peace and that they are exploiting truces," said Moammar al-Eryani, the information minister of Yemen's internationally recognized government. "Here the Houthi militias are sending Iranians plane carrying explosives to prove to the world that they're not serious about peace and they only understands the language of force."

The government described the attack as "a message of blatant defiance to the international community and outright rejection to peace efforts." It blamed the U.N. for its "silence and leniency" toward the Houthis, saying that has encouraged the rebels to continue "barbaric and aggressive practices ... threatening the regional security."

Yahia al-Sarei, a spokesman for Houthi-affiliated forces, called the drone attack a response to the coalition's continuation of "airstrikes and targeting innocent civilians and the escalation of the mercenaries across all front lines."

Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when rebels captured the capital of Sanaa. A coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in March 2015 as government forces looked poised to lose Aden to the Houthi advance. The U.S. supported the coalition for years despite its airstrikes killing civilians, and is only recently beginning to step back after the October killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by Saudi agents.

The two sides last month agreed to a prisoner swap and cease-fire in Hodeida, a port of entry for much of the humanitarian aid to Yemen, to try to provide relief to a population pushed to the brink of famine by the war.

Fighting has largely abated in Hodeida but progress on the withdrawal has been slow. The U.N. humanitarian aid chief on Wednesday accused the rebels of blocking humanitarian supplies traveling from areas under their control to government-held areas.

The use of a drone also raised new concerns over Iran's influence in the conflict. Officials in the coalition have shown journalists a series of drones they said showed a growing sophistication by the Houthis, starting first with plastic foam models that could be built by a hobby kit to one captured in April that closely resembled an Iranian-made drone.

Those drones have been flown into the radar arrays of Saudi Arabia's Patriot missile batteries, according to the research group Conflict Armament Research, disabling them and allowing the Houthis to fire ballistic missiles into the kingdom unchallenged.

Iran has been accused by the U.S. and the U.N. of supplying ballistic missile technology and arms to the Houthis, which Tehran denies.

Houthi media quoted its military describing the drone as a new variant of its Qasef, or "Striker," drone. The Qasef-2K has been designed to explode at a height of 20 meters (about 65 feet) and rain shrapnel on its target, according to the Houthis.

A U.N. panel of experts on Yemen issued a report in 2018 noting that the Houthis' Qasef-1 drone "is virtually identical in design, dimensions and capability to that of the Ababil-T, manufactured by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries." The Ababil-T can deliver up to a 45-kilogram (100-pound) warhead up to 150 kilometers (95 miles) away.

Such drones remain difficult to shoot down with either light or heavy weapons. Iraqi forces learned from driving out the Islamic State group from northern Iraq, where the extremists would load drones with grenades or simple explosives to target their forces.

Qasef drones are launched with pre-programmed coordinates to follow, unlike other drones where a pilot flies it via a video link, said Jeremy Binnie, a weapons expert who works as the Middle East and Africa editor at Jane's Defence Weekly.

"They're like slow missiles. Once they are launched, there is no control," Binnie said. "They do have excellent intelligence on the ground. They needed to specifically know when those guys are in the stands to be able to target."

Associated Press writers Brian Rohan and Maggie Michael in Cairo and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.</s>A drone attack on a Yemeni government base by the rebel Houthi movement has reportedly killed at least six soldiers and injured several senior officials.

One video showed a drone exploding above a podium where the officials were watching a military parade. It is not clear if any other drones hit the base.

Sky News Arabia said army chief of staff Gen Abdullah al-Nakhi was hurt.

A Houthi-run TV channel said the rebels had targeted personnel from the Saudi-led coalition backing the government.

The attack comes a day after the UN special envoy to Yemen said the warring parties had largely been adhering to a ceasefire agreed last month around the Red Sea port of Hudaydah, which is crucial to the delivery of aid supplies.

However, Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council that substantial progress was needed before more peace talks could be held on ending the civil war.

Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in early 2015, when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad.

Alarmed by the rise of a group they saw as an Iranian proxy, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government. They have received logistical and intelligence support from the US, UK and France.

At least 6,800 civilians have been killed and 10,700 injured in the fighting, according to the UN. Thousands more civilians have died from preventable causes, including malnutrition, disease and poor health.
A Houthi drone strike on Al Anad Air Base in Lahij Governorate, Yemen, during a military parade, kills six soldiers and injures several senior officials.