Sanaa, April 22 (RHC)-- Casualties have been reported as Saudi Arabia resumed airstrikes against Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, hours after announcing an end to its nearly month-long bombing campaign. Saudi airstrikes on the Esteghbal military base in the capital city Sanaa and targets in the northern Sa'ada province have claimed the lives of a number of people, the al-Masirah satellite television station reported early on Wednesday.

The raids were carried out before 12:00 a.m. Wednesday Saudi local time (2100 GMT), when a new phase of operations dubbed "Restoring Hope" was due to start.

Also on Wednesday, fugitive former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi gave a televised speech in Saudi Arabia in relation to Riyadh’s declaration of ending operation “Decisive Storm” in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia started its military aggression against Yemen on March 26 -- without a UN mandate -- in a bid to restore power to Hadi, who is a close ally of Riyadh. According to reports, about 2,800 people have been killed during the aggression.