ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Warplanes of the Saudi-led Arab coalition launched 12 airstrikes against positions of the Houthi group in Yemen's northern province of Saada on Sunday, a military official told Xinhua.

The military source of Yemen's government forces said on condition of anonymity that "the Saudi-led coalition intensified airstrikes against the main strongholds of the Houthis particularly in Saada."

He said that 8 airstrikes targeted Maran area that's located to the southwestern part of Saada, causing an unknown number of casualties.

Four other Saudi-led airstrikes struck a different area held by the Houthis in Saada's southwestern part, said the source.

The airstrikes coincided with intense armed confrontations that were raging between Yemen's government forces and Houthi fighters in various locations of Saada.

On Saturday, a Houthi drone attack on Saudi Arabia's Shaybah Oil Field caused a minor fire in a gas plant and limited damage with no injuries, according to the Saudi Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the drone attack on the same day.

The Houthis have recently stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, but most of the missiles and drones were intercepted and destroyed by the kingdom's air forces.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition against Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen for more than four years in support of the exiled internationally-recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Enditem

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