Yemen's Minister of Defence, Gen Mohammed Al Maqdashi, survived a Houthi shelling on the ministry’s headquarters in Marib province, northern Yemen, on Tuesday, a military source said.

“The minister survived the desperate attempt but his private driver, Capt Fuad Al Marhabi, was killed along with another soldier when the Houthi drone blasted near the room where they were sitting,” the source told The National.

Col Yehya Abu Hatim, an adviser to Mr Al Maqdashi, confirmed that the minister and officers who were taking part in a meeting were not harmed in the attack by the Iran-backed rebels.

Afterwards, Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi sacked the director of the security forces in Marib province, Col Abdul Malik Al Madani.

Mr Hadi then appointed Maj Gen Yehya Abdullah as his successor, said Faris Mohammed, a journalist in Marib province.

The Arab Coalition announced this week that it was repositioning its troops in Aden province under the command of Saudi Arabia.