The Shiite Houthi militants and allied forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh late Monday announced the formation of a "national salvation" government in Yemen, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.The same agency reported that the government would be headed by Abdul Aziz Bin Habtoor, the former governor of Aden and it will be made up of 35 ministers, including seven state ministers and three deputy premiers.Yemen has been wracked by chaos since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis and pro-Salah forces overran the capital Sana'a and other parts of the country.In March of 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at restoring the internationally recognized government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.Houthis, who are battling the internationally recognized government of President Hadi, often fire mortars into southern Saudi regions and test Saudi defenses with guerrilla-style incursions.Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the Yemeni capital Sana'a in September 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government of President Hadi and his government to temporarily flee to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Saudi-led, U.S.-backed coalition is conducting an extensive air campaign against the Houthis since March 2015 that has pushed the rebels out of southern Yemen. The campaign aims to restore the government ousted by the Iran-allied militia and is part of a larger assertive effort to prevent weapons from reaching Shiite Houthi militants.

The U.N. says the conflict has left more than 19,000 people dead and displaced at least 3 million.