Thousands of children in Yemen are starving to death in the midst of civil conflict

MOCHA, Yemen (Circa/AP) The baby twitches his legs in pain. He's crying but he is so dehydrated his eyes can't produce tears. His belly is inflated as taut as a balloon. You can easily count the 12 rows of protruding ribs on his rapidly palpitating chest.

The video filmed by a doctor shows 8-month-old Fadl suffering not from disease, but from starvation.

Three years into a civil war, Yemen is starving and could soon start to see widespread death from famine.

Houthi rebels hold the country's north, and a Saudi-led coalition, armed and backed by the U.S., has sought to bomb the rebels into submission with a relentless air campaign in support of the Yemeni government.

Some 400,000 children are fighting for their lives in the direst state of hunger, severe acute malnutrition _ the stage of swollen bellies and twig-like arms that are signs the body is eating away at itself for lack of nutrients and protein.

In Yemen, around 2.9 million women and children are acutely malnourished, a stage just a step away from that.

The Saudis have launched air operations against Houthi targets.

The government of Saudi Arabia began a military operation in Yemen against the Shiite Houthi rebels, early Thursday local time.

According to Reuters news agency, the United States coordinated with the Saudi government ahead of the attacks.

In a statement released late Wednesday, the White House confirmed it will provide logistical and intelligence support for the operation.

“While U.S. forces are not taking direct military action in Yemen in support of this effort, we are establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate U.S. military and intelligence support," the statement said.

The airstrikes are being launched in coordination with a coalition of 10 nations.

Warplanes launched an attack on Sanaa airport and the Yemeni capital's al Dulaimi military airbase. “Having Yemen fail is not an option for us,” said Abdel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.

Houthi officials have reportedly responded claiming that they are now at ‘war with Saudi Arabia' and stating this could be the beginning of a regional war.

The Houthis had earlier taken control of the airport in the city of Aden, a pro-government stronghold. Reports indicating that the President Hadi fled his palace. His whereabouts are still unknown.