SANAA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Houthi Shiite rebels in north Yemen on Wednesday claimed control of a number of key government positions in Razeh district of Saada province, a Yemeni news website reported.

    The Houthis said they had taken full control of Bisbas, a government military position in Razeh district during the fighting, the report said.

    The rebels also seized a strategic military base and a government military checkpoint in the region after hours of heavy clashes.

    "These positions were full of military equipment, and we still control them along with an airport we seized yesterday," the report quoted a spokesman for the rebels Mohamed Abdul-Salam as saying, without giving further details.

    The rebels said on Tuesday they had seized control of an airport in Razeh region bordering Saudi Arabia.