Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized the city of al-Hazm near the Saudi border from local rival fighters, a day before UN-brokered peace talks.
The Houthis and allied military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh on Sunday took control of al-Hazm, the capital city of the north-eastern province of al-Jauf, a tribal leader told DPA.
The mostly Shi'ite rebels took over governmental buildings and the local headquarters of the rival Sunni al-Islah Party in the city without resistance, the tribal leader added on condition of anonymity.
Following the takeover, warplanes of a Saudi-led coalition carried out a series of airstrikes against the rebels' outposts in the city, local residents said.
The Houthis, who hail from Yemen's far north, captured the capital Sanaa in September. They have since swept across the country.
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In March, Saudi Arabia and Sunni partners started an air campaign in Yemen after the rebels advanced on Yemen's second city of Aden, forcing internationally recognised President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi, who is a Sunni, to flee the country.
The rebels have since mounted cross-border attacks in Saudi border areas.
Yemen's warring factions are due to start UN-sponsored talks in Geneva on Monday.
Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya quoted a UN spokesman as saying that the talks would begin as scheduled, with the participation of all parties.
Representatives from countries in the Gulf, the UN veto powers and the European Union, as well as from Egypt, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan are also taking part.
Iran will not be part of the process.
