Saudi-led coalition denies striking Yemen wedding

RIYADH — The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen denied on Thursday that its warplanes bombed a wedding for the second time in days, dismissing the report as rebel propaganda.

"We did not conduct any operation in Dhamar," the rebel-held province south of the capital Sanaa where the alleged strike took place, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Al Assiri told AFP.

"No strikes there. Definitely."

Medics said they received 13 dead and 38 wounded after an explosion on Wednesday evening at a wedding party in the town of Sanban, 100 kilometres from Sanaa.

Residents and rebels said the explosion was caused by a coalition air strike.

"Coalition warplanes launched the attack," said local resident Taha Al Zuba. 

The Houthi rebels' Almasirah television said on Twitter that the wedding was hit by "aggression warplanes," referring to the coalition. 

It was the second time in little over a week that the coalition had denied allegations of bombing a wedding party.

In late September, residents said warplanes hit a wedding hall in the Red Sea city of Mokha. At least 131 civilians died in what the United Nations said may have been the deadliest hit since March.

Assiri said there had also been no air strikes in that area and the incident was "fake".

"It is a new media strategy coming from the militia," who have lost territory on the ground in Yemen, he said.

"We should be very careful," he added. "Not every explosion in Yemen comes from an air strike."

He said the rebels and their allies — renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh — often hid weapons stores in residential areas.

Assiri said the coalition was working with the Yemeni government on a "very detailed" review of security after car bombings claimed by the Daesh group hit its temporary headquarters and coalition bases in Aden on Tuesday.

Fifteen loyalist and coalition troops were killed and several ministers suffered minor wounds.

"This report will reflect what the problem was and the Yemeni government, with the coalition, will take what [precaution] is necessary to protect those positions," Assiri said.

Tuesday's attack, which Daesh said involved four suicide bombers, was the first carried out by the jihadist group against the Yemeni government and its coalition backers. 

Previous attacks had targeted Shiite mosques frequented by the rebels.