Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called Friday Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to offer his condolences for the death of 45 UAE soldiers fighting rebels in Yemen.

Both Egypt and the UAE are part of a Saudi-led coalition, formed in March, to fight Houthi rebels who took control of Yemen's capital Sanaa and began advancing on the southern port of Aden.

Egypt backs Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi who fled to Saudi Arabia.

El-Sisi affirmed to Al-Nahyan that the Emerati martyrs have set a great example in bravery and defending Arab lands, a presidency statement read.

Yemen's government blamed the attack on an "accidental explosion" at a military base in the eastern province of Marib.

However, Shia Houthi rebels claimed their fighters had fired a rocket that caused the blast, while the UAE's official press agency reported the military responded with a series of night raids on Marib, Sanaa, northern Houthi stronghold Saada and the central city of Ibb.

Bahrain, also a member of the Saudi-led coalition, said five of its soldiers were killed in southern Saudi Arabia where they had been posted to help defend Riyadh's border with Yemen, without providing details.

Egypt's armed forces participate in the ongoing campaign via naval forces and air force.