Overnight airstrikes led by Saudi Arabia have hit targets in the capital of Yemen, as a campaign against Iranian allied militia goes into its fifth day.

Riyadh is leading a coalition of Sunni Muslim countries attempting to stop the advance of Shi’ite Houthi militia opposed to the rule of Yemen’s President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Saudi Arabia says the air strikes will continue until Hadi, who fled the country on Thursday, is able to rule.

Iran denies it is helping the Houthis and has condemned the offensive led by Riyadh.

But Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the UN, defended the action.

“We had no choice,” he said. “We tried every possible way to avoid it. The Yemenis tried every possible way to avoid it.

“Agreements were made and every single agreement that was made with the Houthis, 67 of them to be precise, the Houthis reneged on them,” he added.

“So they continued to take over the country and when they were virtually about to take over the city of Aden wi