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SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Witnesses and officials in Yemen now say 35 people are dead from airstrikes on a factory in a western port city.
Airstrikes are being carried out by warplanes from a coalition led by Saudi Arabia -- which have bombed Shiite rebel positions today both in the northern and southern parts of the country. The strikes drew return fire from anti-aircraft guns.
The campaign against the rebels is now in its seventh day. It's aimed at weakening the rebel force, which is backed by Iran and is allied with forces loyal to Yemen's deposed president.
Since their advance began last year, the rebels have overrun the capital, and they've forced the current president to flee from the southern port city of Aden.
Two military officials say the factory that was targeted today had been used by rebels to store weapons.
The deaths there came a day after international aid groups expressed alarm over a high number of civilian casualties in Yemen.
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APPHOTO GFX5416: Map locates Aden, Yemen, and shows areas of al Houthi control; 2c x 2 inches; 46.5 mm x 76 mm; with any related stories; ETA 1 p.m.; 2c x 3 inches; 96.3 mm x 76 mm; (31 Mar 2015)
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APPHOTO AHM105: Yemeni boys gather at their house destroyed by Saudi airstrikes near the airport in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, March 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed) (31 Mar 2015)
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