Yemeni officials: Rebel shelling kills 5 in Marib province

SANAA, Yemen – Yemeni officials say shells fired by the country’s Shiite rebels have killed at least five civilians in the central province of Marib.

The officials say the shelling early on Tuesday also wounded at least 20 people. Marib is about 115 kilometres, or 70 miles, east of the capital, Sanaa.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

The war in Yemen has raged since March 2015 between the Shiite rebels known as Houthis, allied with Iran, and the country’s internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. The Houthis control much of northern Yemen, including the capital.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 3 million, and pushed Yemen’s 28 million people to the brink of famine