Yemen rebels say Saudi strikes killed 2 children

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's Shi'ite rebels said on Monday Saudi rockets had killed two children, while state media reported new clashes between Yemeni forces and northern insurgents.

There was no immediate official comment from Saudi Arabia, which was drawn into a five-year conflict between the Yemeni government and the rebels three months ago when the rebels seized some of the kingdom's territory.

Saudi Arabia launched a military offensive against them in response.

Saudi warplanes carried out an air strike in Yemen's northern province of Saada on Sunday, and fired nearly 150 rockets and heavy artillery, the rebels said on their website.

Two boys, 12 and five years old, were killed and two other children were injured when rockets fell on their farm in the Maran region, the rebels said.

The insurgents said they staged their cross-border raid into Saudi Arabia in November because the world's top oil exporter had been allowing Yemeni troops to use Saudi territory to launch attacks against them.

Saudi Arabia declared victory over the rebels last month, but has continued launching air strikes and rocket attacks against the insurgents, who say they have now quit Saudi land.

Yemeni armed forces also fought rebels in the northern provinces of Saada and Malahidh on Monday, inflicting "heavy casualties" on the insurgents, the defence ministry's online newspaper September 26 reported.

On Saturday, Yemen said it had handed the rebels a timetable for implementing the government's cease-fire terms, a week after rejecting a truce offer from insurgents because it did not include the promise to end hostilities against Saudi Arabia.