While Saudi Arabia said it would change the focus of their military campaign in Yemen to humanitarian assistance and political negotiation, jets from the coalition led by Saudi resumed their air strikes in Sanaa and other Yemeni provinces on Sunday.

The attacks killed at least seven Yemenis and injured dozens of people in Taiz City. The offensive against the Houthi rebels has been ongoing for one month. Last week, air strikes targeted military depots that stored inflammable materials.

Like Us on Facebook

The air strikes destroyed the depots and killed and injured as well hundreds of civilians, including women and children. The United Nations estimates fatalities in the past month due to the air strikes at more than 1,000 Yemenis, half of whom are civilians.

Most of the victims are from Aden, the second-largest city in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia defended the military operations, Operation Decisive Storm, as needed to bring back the exiled government of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi who was ousted from power in early 2015 by the Houthis, reports the New York Times.

Despite Saudi Arabia's announced shift in approach, Riyadh Yaseen, the foreign minister of the Yemeni government in exile, said the first operation involving air strikes is still ongoing.

"There will be no deal with the Houthis whatsoever until they withdraw from areas under their control," he said in London, quotes Reuters.

Besides the air strikes in Taiz, which observers said would like suffer the same fate as Aden, residents of the city are also hungry due to severe food shortages as well as fuel.

CNN explains the resumption of the air strikes to the attack by rebel forces on a Yemeni military brigade.

Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, spokesman of the Saudi Arabia military, attributed the success of the operation to very good planning, precise execution and courage of its pilots, sailors and soldiers.

Asiri said that besides the air attack, its ground troops would protect the border and any attempts to destabilize the situation would be confronted and thwarted.

However, a defiant Houthi leader was quoted as saying, "Anyone who thinks we will surrender is dreaming."

Tagsyemen, Yemen conflict, airstrike, Houthis