Aden, Feb 16 (IANS): At least 10 soldiers were killed on Tuesday in heavy fighting between pro-government Yemeni troops and Houthi militants in the southern province of Dhalea, a military officer said.

The intense confrontations broke out after "scores of Houthi fighters launched an armed attack and attempted to advance into key areas in the province", Xinhua news agency reported, citing a source.

The Houthi attack was aborted by the government forces following hours of ferocious fighting near the Qatabah district in northern Dhalea, he added.

The fighting left at least 10 people killed from the two warring sides and nearly 14 others injured, according to the official.

Meanwhile, sporadic fighting continues between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in various areas of the war-ravaged Arab country.

The country's northern provinces witnessed the fiercest battles amid intensified airstrikes during the past 48 hours particularly in the oil-rich province of Marib.

The airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition have hit a number of Houthi-held sites in Yemen's capital Sanaa and neighboring areas.

Yemen has been plagued by a civil war since late 2014 when Houthi militias forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.