SANAA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 Houthi rebels were killed and several others injured in a battle against government troops in Yemen's northern province of Saada on Wednesday, a military official said.

The battles erupted when the troops repelled an attack launched by the rebels on the army sites in Almazhar area east of Baqim district, Fayiz al-Sadi, the media officer at the 102 Brigade in Saada, told Xinhua.

Three soldiers were wounded in the battle, he said.

"The rebels have been trying to restore Almazhar area, which is liberated by the government troops last week," he said.

Meanwhile, pro-government Azal media center reported that Saudi-led coalition's Apache aircraft hit rebels' reinforcements on their way to Almazhar area.

The Yemeni army has advanced to several areas in the districts of Kitaf, Baqim and Razih in Saada, which is the main stronghold province of the Houthi rebels.

Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa.