Yemen's Houthis seize strategic Harad city from gov't army: source

"The rebel snipers killed more than 60 soldiers who had infiltrated into the southern and western neighborhoods and wounded 140 others," he said.

The Saudi-led coalition forces backing the Yemeni government army launched three airstrikes against the Houthi advance, the source said, adding that "the army now is out of this strategic city," which borders Saudi Arabia.

The defeat is a major blow to the Yemeni government army which had recaptured most of the city in a fierce battle that began last week.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control over northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to exile.

Xinhua