Sanaa, Nov 19 (IANS): A series of intensified airstrikes targeted the Houthi militia in various areas of Yemen as the years-long conflict has continued to expand, a military official said.

"Many Houthi-held sites were struck by scores of airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led coalition within the past several hours in various regions of Yemen," the official told Xinhua news agency.

"Marib and the neighbouring provinces were heavily bombed by the coalition's warplanes as Houthis opened new battlefront against the government forces stationed there," he said.

The airstrikes killed and injured a large number of fighters belonging to the Houthi group still attempting to advance towards Marib, he clarified.

The battles raging between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and the Houthi militia continued to expand elsewhere in the war-ravaged Arab country, despite international calls for de-escalation, according to the official.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition said in a brief press statement that the number of air operations launched during the last 24 hours reached 35 airstrikes mostly in Marib and the neighbouring northeastern province of al-Jawf.

The Houthis recently intensified their military operations against Marib and succeeded in seizing large areas of the province's southern parts, despite a series of daily airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition against the militia.