The UAE has announced that 45 of its soldiers were killed in Yemen while fighting Houthi rebels on 4 September.

The UAE troops, which were part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi militia, were killed when a missile hit a weapons storage depot near their position in Marib, which caused a series of explosions, according to international media reports.

The UAE state news agency confirmed late on 4 September that 45 servicemen had been killed, and the government has declared a three-day period of mourning.

Also on 4 September, Bahrain announced that five of its soldiers were killed while protecting the Saudi border with Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition, consisting of 10 Arab states, launched its military campaign in Yemen on 25 March. According to the UN, more than 4,500 people, including at least 2,100 civilians, have been killed in the Yemen conflict.