BREAKING NEWS

Pakistan sends 747 jumbo jets to evacuate distraught nationals from Yemen

Pakistan, which has yet to decide whether to offer military support to a Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, is flying jumbo jets to the Middle Eastern country to evacuate hundreds of nationals, a Defence Ministry official said on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia evacuated dozens of diplomats from Yemen on Saturday and the United Nations pulled out international staff after a third night of Saudi-led air strikes trying to stem advances by Iranian-allied Houthi fighters.

Pakistan TV has interviewed distraught nationals in Yemen who have pleaded for help, saying nothing was being down to rescue them.

"The Saudi civil aviation authorities had given us clearance to send our passenger planes to Yemen," a Defense Ministry official told Reuters.