Sanaa, Jul 5 (IANS): Three Yemeni soldiers were killedin a drone strike launched by the Houthi militia in the country's southern province of Dhalea, a government official said.

"An explosive-laden drone of the Houthi group struck a security site near Qatabah district in the northern parts of the government-controlled province of Dhalea," the official told Xinhua news agency late Monday.

He confirmed that the drone attack resulted in the killing of three security personnel and the injury of two others.

"An ambulance rushed to the bombing site to rescue the injured soldiers but were targeted by the Houthi snipers stationed in the area," he noted.

The Houthis, which control large swathes of northern Yemen, are yet to comment on the attack.

Since April 2, the warring parties in Yemen have been abiding by a nationwide ceasefire.

Although the truce has largely been upheld, the internationally-recognized government and the Houthi group frequently trade accusations of violations.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognised government out of the capital Sanaa.

The war has since killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.