Clashes broke out near a state TV building in the north of Sanaa, when troops stopped a truck loaded with weapons, military officials told the Associated Press news agency.

Fighting also intensified in the restive Marib province, where the military launched air strikes targeting Houthi positions.

The authorities said a senior Houthi commander was killed in one of the raids.

The flare-up came despite the Houthis saying they were close to signing a deal reached with the government.

The Houthis, also known as Zaidis or Ansarullah, have been camped in Sanaa in a bid to oust the government, which they accuse of corruption.

Yemen has been locked in a protracted transition since longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced from power in February 2012 after a deadly 11-month uprising.