ADEN, Yemen, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group launched an artillery attack against government forces in the southern province of Lahj on Saturday, killing four soldiers and wounding several others, a military official told Xinhua.
The Houthi attack targeted soldiers of the Fifth Infantry Army Brigade stationed at the Kirsh front in western Lahj, sparking hours-long armed confrontations between the two sides, the local official said on condition of anonymity.
Government-controlled areas in southern Yemen frequently face artillery shells or drone attacks from the Houthi group, the official added.
The escalation in southern Yemen comes amid expanded U.S. military operations against the Houthis, who currently control the capital Sanaa and large parts of northern and central Yemen. The Houthis seized Sanaa in late 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene militarily in 2015 to restore the internationally recognized government.
The protracted conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, characterized by widespread famine, displacement, and destruction of critical infrastructure. ■
