SANAA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed and four others wounded when airstrikes by U.S. forces hit a solar energy store and a house in Yemen's northern city of Saada late on Saturday, medics reported.

Medics described the casualty toll as preliminary, adding that civil defense teams were working to extinguish fires and search for victims at the targeted sites in the Hafsin area of western Saada city, the capital of the namesake Saada province.

Earlier on Saturday, the Houthi group denied U.S. claims that an American airstrike had targeted a meeting of its military leaders in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

A Houthi statement, reported by the group's al-Masirah TV, described the event cited in the U.S. claims as a social gathering for the Eid holiday, calling such events a common practice in Yemen during holidays.

On March 15, the U.S. military launched a new round of airstrikes across Yemen, aimed at weakening the Houthis' operational capacity. Over the past two weeks, U.S. forces have carried out a wave of strikes targeting Houthi air defense systems, command centers, fortified positions, and weapons depots across several provinces.

The Houthis have previously said they would resume attacks on commercial and naval vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The group says its maritime operations are intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and to apply pressure on Israel over its military campaign in Gaza. Enditem

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