Saudi-led warplanes hit rebels in Yemen's third city Taez Wednesday as they seized a key army headquarters just hours after Riyadh announced a halt to the air campaign, an officer said.

The renewed strikes hit rebel forces inside the 35th Armoured Brigade headquarters which they seized from its loyalist garrison in heavy fighting, the officer told AFP.

They also hit a gathering of the Iran-backed rebels and their allies near the city's central prison, he added.