(MENAFN) Government troops in Yemen successfully thwarted a major offensive launched by the Houthi group on Saturday in the southern province of Dhalea, resulting in the deaths of three militants, a military source confirmed to media.

The official, who requested anonymity, informed media that Houthi fighters employed heavy artillery in an effort to penetrate government defenses in the Bab Ghalaq region of northern Dhalea, sparking fierce clashes with government troops.

"The fighting lasted for about an hour before the Houthis were forced to withdraw in disarray toward their positions, whereas the government forces maintained their defensive positions," the official stated.

According to the same source, in addition to the three killed, Houthi forces also suffered damage to military assets during the clash. On the government side, five soldiers sustained injuries.

As of Sunday, the Houthi group has not issued a statement addressing the confrontation.

Yemen remains in a precarious ceasefire limbo following the breakdown of a UN-mediated truce at the end of 2022. Renewed efforts to reestablish or broaden the agreement have so far stalled, leaving both sides locked in a tense standoff.

The nearly decade-long conflict, which erupted in late 2014, has caused immense human suffering. According to UN estimates, the war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and has pushed millions to the edge of famine.

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