Yemen's Houthi rebels say 'UAE spy ring' dismantled

Yemen's Houthi have claimed to have uncovered an Emirati spy ring providing information to the Saudi-led coalition, which has launched an air and land war against the rebel group.

The rebel-run SABA news agency made the announcement of the arrests on Monday, citing a statement from the group's interior ministry.

The statement said the espionage network had direct ties to the UAE's secret service and was involved in providing GPS coordinates and information on government institutions and security forces.

"Yemeni security media will soon publish footage of the spies' confessions," the statement added. Yemen's Houthi rebels have been criticised for using torture against suspected opponents.

The UAE is a key member of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014.

The Yemen conflict has triggered the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with the UN estimating that as many as 10,000 people have died  most of them civilians - since the Saudi-led coalition launched military operations in 2015.