SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni officials say intense fighting erupted between government-allied forces and Shiite rebels at the Red Sea port city of Hodeida shortly before a U.N.-brokered cease-fire took effect.

The officials say artillery shelling and heavy machine gun fire shook districts in the south and east of the strategic city late Monday as the two sides declared their intention to observe the cease-fire that began at midnight.

Fighting subsided as the cease-fire took effect, with only the sporadic sound of machine guns heard in the city.

The cease-fire was agreed to last week by the two sides during U.N.-sponsored talks in Sweden. Under the agreement, the two sides are to redeploy their forces out of Hodeida and are barred from bringing in reinforcements.