Government forces have advanced into a major district in Yemen’s port city of Al-Hudaydah, according to a Yemeni military officer on Monday. 

The forces stormed al-Rabsa district and seized a number of buildings there, Army Colonel Ahmed al-Ajeili was quoted as saying by the military-run September 26 website. 

“Our forces are advancing deep into Al-Hudaydah amid fierce clashes with Houthi rebels,” he said. 

The military officer said the attack has caused casualties among the rebels, but without elaborating. 

There was no comment from the Shia Houthi group on the claim. 

Last week, Yemeni government forces launched a new military operation as a resume to the campaign which began in mid-2018 to retake the western city and its strategic two seaports from Houthis. 

Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. 

The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a devastating air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.