Sanaa , Yemen ( CNN ) -- At least seven pro-Houthi protesters were killed and dozens were wounded Tuesday when demonstrators allegedly tried to raid the Ministerial Cabinet building in the capital , a senior Houthi official said . A government representative gave conflicting figures , saying four pro-Houthi protesters were killed in the attempted raid in Sanaa . The Houthi official said the more than 45 people who were injured were taken to Al-Moayyad house . Hospital officials told CNN that three of the injured are in critical condition . `` The gunshot wounds are mostly to the head , back and chest , resulting in serious injuries , '' a hospital official told CNN on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the media . The Interior Ministry said protesters -- including some armed Houthis -- attempted to raid the Ministerial Cabinet and attacked the soldiers guarding the gates . `` Troops did their legal duties of protecting government buildings after being threatened , '' the ministry said in a statement . The ministry said the protesters were killed and injured by the armed demonstrators within the crowd , and said several government troops were attacked and injured in the violence . It called on Houthis to seek peaceful solutions for change instead of using force . Houthis , also known as `` Ansarullah , '' have been rallying for almost a month , demanding that a recently approved oil subsidy reform be revoked and that the government step down . Until then , they say , they will not remove their tents from Sanaa and surrounding areas . In a televised speech Monday , top Ansarullah leader AbdulMalik al-Houthi called on supporters to continue protesting and launched a new stage of escalation . `` It seemed that the government downplayed our threats and killed peaceful protesters , '' al-Houthi said , referring to the deaths of some demonstrators Sunday . `` Their blood will not go in vain . '' Houthi spokesman Mohammed AbdulSalam threatened the Yemeni government , saying the group was being forced to consider non-peaceful actions in retaliation for the attacks against protesters . `` The government is trying to say that peaceful activities are not accepted . The killing of protesters will not make us take steps backwards , but rather raise our ceiling of demands , '' he said . Earlier in the month , Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi dismissed the government and agreed to a 15 % cut in fuel prices , in addition to other economic reforms , seeking to end weeks of tense protests led by tens of thousands of Houthi loyalists . Houthis , who follow the Zaidi sect of Islam , rejected the initiative .
Several Houthis were killed , dozens wounded in violence Tuesday . Interior Ministry says shots came from armed protesters in crowd . Houthis are protesting oil subsidy reform , current government .