Sanaa: A powerful explosion rocked a military camp belonging to pro-government forces in Yemen's southern port city of Aden early Thursday, killing 12 soldiers and injuring several others. 

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the blast occurred at a camp operated by the pro-government Giants Brigades in the Al-Mimdarah area of Aden and was heard across much of the city, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local sources.

Preliminary information indicates that the explosion was caused by an electrical short circuit inside an ammunition storage facility at the camp, the official said.

The short circuit reportedly ignited a fire that spread to the depot, triggering a series of explosions inside the storage area, the source added.

Witnesses reported seeing flames and thick plumes of smoke rising from the camp, followed by successive blasts reverberating across nearby neighbourhoods.

No official statement has yet been issued regarding the incident, and details on the extent of the damage remain unavailable.

On Tuesday, fierce clashes erupted between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis in the country's western province of Hodeidah, a military official said.

The fighting broke out after Houthi fighters launched a large-scale attack on positions held by the Joint Forces, a coalition of pro-government units, in the Hays district south of Hodeidah overlooking the Red Sea, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

According to the official, the assault triggered hours of intense confrontations during which both sides exchanged medium and heavy weapons fire.

Government forces repelled the attack and foiled an attempted infiltration into their positions, the official said.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group on the reported clashes.

Yemen has been gripped by conflict since late 2014 when the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.

A UN-mediated truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, brokered in April 2022, lasted six months before expiring. Both sides have largely maintained a "de facto ceasefire" since then.