ADEN, Yemen, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Saudi-led warplanes launched airstrikes on Wednesday against a number of military sites held by the Houthi rebels in Yemen's southern province of Dhalea, a government official told Xinhua.

"About four Saudi-led airstrikes precisely targeted the Houthi-held sites near Qataba district in Dhalea's northern part, destroying the rebels' military vehicles," said the local official on condition of anonymity.

The airstrikes came following an attack launched by the Houthi rebels against areas controlled by the government forces in Qataba, said the source.

He added that intense clashes are still ongoing between the two warring sides in the areas located around Qataba, but gave no exact details about the casualties.

On Tuesday, the country's Defence Ministry website reported that around 20 fighters of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group were killed when pro-government forces made progress during the on-ground fighting in Dhalea.

However, Houthi media outlets reported that the group's fighters managed to repulse a large-scale pro-government military offensive launched against the rebels' sites from different directions.

The pro-government forces managed to make on-ground advancement and managed to expel the Houthis out from several villages located in Dhalea during the past weeks.

In April, the Iranian-allied Houthi fighters launched a series of intense armed attacks on the positions of government forces and succeeded in seizing the district of Al Husha in the west of Dhalea.

The areas in the north and west of Dhalea, 138 km north of Aden, have been witnessing non-stop fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters for about four years.

Yemen has been plagued by a civil war since late 2014 after the Houthis revolted and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.