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Saudi-led coalition stages airstrikes after Yemen truce ends

SANAA, Yemen (AP) - A Saudi-led coalition launched a series of airstrikes around the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday, just hours after a 72-hour cease-fire expired, according to security officials.

They said the pre-dawn airstrikes targeted military facilities belonging to the Shiite Houthi rebels fighting the internationally recognized government. They had no word on casualties or damage.

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The airstrikes followed a call by U.N. special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on the warring parties to extend the temporary cease-fire for at least another renewable 72 hours.

The previous 72-hour truce expired at 11:59 p.m. local time Saturday. Ahmed said the cease-fire had largely held during the truce, "despite reported violations from both sides in several areas," and that it had enabled U.N. personnel to deliver food and humanitarian supplies to several previously inaccessible areas.

"We would like to build on this and we aim for a wider outreach in the next few days," Ahmed said. There was no immediate word on whether the combatants would consider another cease-fire.

The war in Yemen began in 2014 when Shiite rebels known as Houthis based in the north seized the capital, Sanaa, and later swept across much of the poor Arabian Peninsula country.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a campaign of airstrikes against the rebels.

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