Aden (Yemen), June 23 (AHN) Fierce clashes erupted Tuesday between Houthi militants and troops affiliated with the pro-secession Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the southern province of Al-Dhalea.

The fighting began after Houthi militants launched coordinated attacks on STC positions in the Battar and Tabat Othman areas northwest of Al-Dhalea, prompting STC troops to respond with medium and heavy weapons, a military official told Xinhua news agency on condition of anonymity.

The attacks were "repelled after hours of intense armed confrontations," he said.

The official added that the clashes resulted in casualties on both sides, though no official figures were immediately available.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group on the reported clashes.

The escalation came a day after the Houthis' newly-formed General Mobilisation Forces in Yemen's capital Sanaa announced their readiness to reinforce frontline units across battle zones, Xinhua news agency reported.

Yemen has been gripped by conflict since late 2014 when the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally-recognized government.

A UN-mediated truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, which began in April 2022 and was renewed twice, held for six months before expiring. Both sides have largely maintained a "de facto ceasefire" since then, despite sporadic clashes in multiple contested regions.

On Friday, Houthis warned Israel against expanding its military operations in Lebanon, saying it was prepared to respond to "any further escalation in the region."

In a statement aired by the group's Al-Masirah television channel, the Houthis accused Israel of violating an Iran-US ceasefire Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering multiple fronts, including Lebanon, saying that continued Israeli military actions risked undermining regional de-escalation efforts.

The group warned that the axis of resistance would not remain passive in the face of what it described as ongoing Israeli aggression and reiterated its readiness to confront any developments involving the United States and Israel.

–AHN

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