Sanaa: As many as 44 people were reportedly killed as heavy fighting continued between Yemeni security forces and the Houthi militia in the oil-rich province of Marib amid intensified airstrikes, a military official said. "28-eight members of the Houthi rebel group and 16 soldiers of the pro-government Yemeni forces were killed during the past 24 hours in Marib's fighting," the official said.

The Houthi fighters carried out simultaneous attacks against several positions controlled by the pro-government forces in the southern and northwestern areas of Marib, the official said. "The Houthis succeeded in achieving limited on-ground progress after launching a number of multi-pronged attacks in the fighting with the pro-government forces," the official added. He clarified that the Houthis used explosive-laden drones and missile attacks to target the pro-government forces stationed in Marib.

Warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas and reinforcements in Marib's western part, according to the official. The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich Yemeni province, the government's last northern stronghold.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

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