ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 Houthi rebels were killed and several others injured during fighting with the pro-government forces in southern Yemen on Wednesday, a military official told Xinhua.

The fighting dramatically escalated in different areas of Dhale Province as scores of Houthi fighters wanted to make on-ground progress toward the government-controlled areas, the military source said on condition of anonymity.

"The Houthis lost around 11 of their fighters and failed to advance into the government-controlled areas that were well secured militarily," said the source.

Residents confirmed to Xinhua that a number of Houthi military vehicles were left destroyed on the northern outskirts of Dhale during the battle.

No information, however, was given about casualties among the pro-government forces following the fighting with the Houthi rebels in Dhale.

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

The areas in the north and west of Dhale, 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 Houthi rebels forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.