A senior Houthi official was killed in a roadside bombing in Yemen's southeastern province of Bayda on Wednesday, a security source said.

Ahmed al-Humaygani, head of Houthi general security in Bayda, was killed when his vehicle hit the bomb in a main road in the province's capital city, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Two of al-Humaygani's bodyguards were injured in the blast, the source added, without giving further detail.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Bayda, about 268 km southeast of the Houthi-held capital Sanaa, has become the focal point of regular clashes between Yemeni rival groups since 2011.

Much of Bayda Province is under Houthis' control, including the namesake provincial capital, while forces loyal to the exiled Yemeni government have advanced into the northeastern edges of the province.

Islamic extremist groups of al-Qaida and the local branch of the Islamic State militant group are vying to control the southeastern mountainous area of Bayda, according to local security sources.