Yemen's ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh said in an interview broadcast Friday he had rejected "millions of dollars" Saudi Arabia offered him if he stood up to the Shiite rebels.

"They told us 'we'll pay you millions of dollars if you ally with us'" against the Huthis, Saleh told the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen television channel, adding that he rejected the offer.

Saudi-led coalition warplanes began an air campaign against the Huthis in Yemen on March 26.