REBEL Houthi forces fighting alongside soldiers loyal to Yemeni former president Ali Abdullah Saleh retreated from Aden’s Crater district yesterday.

The Houthi fighters and their allies withdrew from Crater and one of Aden’s presidential residences, which they had seized a day earlier.

Their withdrawal followed overnight clashes and an air strike on the presidential palace at Ma’ashiq, overlooking Crater.

Aircraft from a Saudi-led coalition also dropped weapons and medical aid to government forces defending the city.

The Houthi rebels had stormed the palace after heavy clashes on Thursday in which they had pushed through to the heart of the port city using tanks and armoured vehicles.

At least 44 people were killed in the violence, including 18 civilians.

The Saudi government claims that the aim of its operation in Yemen is to protect President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s “legitimate government.”

It says it has no plans to deploy ground forces.