[Al Arabiya Latest] Saudi and Yemeni forces pounded Shiite rebel positions along the border between the two countries on Sunday as the rebels claimed they used Katyusha rockets in attacking a Saudi military base in the border Jizan region to avenge the deaths of civilians killed."Saudi jet fighters resumed their attacks on Saturday night and bombarded rebel hideouts in the border area. There was relative calm on Sunday morning but air operations against the border area are continuing," witnesses told AFP.
A statement by the Houthi rebels, meanwhile, said that "after more than eight days from the start of Saudi attacks and air strikes... we attacked Ain al-Harra military base with Katyusha rockets and fires were seen in that camp."
The Saudi military presence in the Jizan region has been boosted over the past two days, according to Al Arabiya correspondent, who said reinforcements were seen on the route to Khubah, close to the rebel positions.
Saudi forces have been shelling and bombing rebel positions in the 2,000-meter Jebel al-Dukhan mountain area straddling the border since Nov. 4, after rebels killed a border guard and injured a number of others inside Saudi territory the previous day.
Riyadh has said the air strikes and shelling will continue until the rebels withdraw tens of kilometers from the Saudi-Yemeni border.
Meanwhile, Yemeni forces on Saturday night pounded rebel positions in their Saada province stronghold and in Harf Sufyan in Amran province, both north of Sanaa, a Yemeni military official told AFP.
"Strong clashes erupted in Harf Sufyan between the army and the rebels, supported by tribes," the official said, adding that five tribal members were killed and seven others were wounded.
The clashes came after reinforcements from Sanaa arrived at Harf Sufyan to "help the army gain control of the area," the official said.