SANAA

Senior members of the Iranian military and Lebanese Hezbollah were killed in clashes with the Yemeni army while supporting Houthi rebels, Yemen's information minister said Wednesday.

"Houthi militias are still dragging its affiliates into battles, giving an illusion of victory to their families," Muammar Al Eryani told Yemen's Saba News Agency.

He added that hundreds of Houthi rebels were killed, including its senior leaders.

He also noted that the infighting is still ongoing in areas around the capital Sanaa.

The Houthi rebels have not yet issued a statement on the claims. Iran and Hezbollah, didn't also comment on these claims.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Since then, tens of thousands of Yemenis, including numerous civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, while another 14 million are at risk of starvation, according to the UN.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara