Yemeni government lambasts Houthis for deadly raid on village

Yemen's government blasted the Houthi rebels for launching a deadly attack on a village in the central Yemeni province of Al-Bayda, saying they indiscriminately bombed houses.

The Iran-backed Houthis raided and besieged the village of Khubzah on Wednesday after accusing villagers of killing an supporter of the movement, local sources say.

Four people were killed and eight wounded in the shelling, the Media Centre of Al-Bayda Resistance said in a statement.

The residents denied the Houthi accusations, however the shelling continued despite tribesmen attempting to mediate.

The attack was condemned by the Yemeni government, which said it unjustifiably targeted civilians.

"The Houthi militia is imposing an unjust siege on the village of Khabza in Al-Bayda Governorate, and is targeting citizens' homes with artillery and tanks", said Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani, as quoted by official Saba news agency.

"This bombing led to casualties (whose number was not mentioned), including women and children, and the destruction of a number of homes", he added.

Wednesday's fatal ambush was one of many attacks by the Houthi rebels on Khubzah village over the last few days.

Yemen's current conflict began in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee to Aden.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen the following year, enforcing an air and sea blockade of Houthi-held areas since 2016.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed directly or indirectly as a result of the war and millions more displaced, creating what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Eighty percent of Yemen's 30 million people are dependent on aid. A truce was agreed earlier this year but it remains fragile.