Houthis mark 4 years of Saudi-led campaign in Yemen

Thousands of Houthis on Tuesday gathered in the capital Sanaa to mark the fourth anniversary of a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

The crowds gathered in central Sanaa raised photos of those slain in the conflict.

"The operations of the coalition aim at occupying Yemen and plundering its wealth," Sultan al-Samei, a leading Houthi member, told the rally.

He went on to warn that the "fifth year [of the coalition's campaign] would bring hell to the enemies".

Yemen has been wracked by chaos since 2014, when the Houthi rebel group overran much of the country, including Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.

Since then, thousands of people -- including numerous civilians -- are believed to have been killed in the conflict, while the UN has repeatedly warned that some 14 million Yemenis remain at risk of famine.