Saudi-led forces begin assault on Yemen port city of Hodeida

THE OFFENSIVE IS CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE THE CITY IS THE ENTRY POINT FOR 70% OF IMPORTS AS YEMEN TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF FAMINE.

ALJAH:YEMENI forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive on Wednesday to retake the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, despite UN warnings of a “catastrophic humanitarian impact”.

Field commanders told AFP that troops pushed towards Hodeida airport after Yemeni pro-government forces received a “green light” from the coalition.

The coalition accuses the Houthi rebels of using the port to secure Iranian arms, notably the ballistic missiles the militants have increasingly fired into Saudi territory.

Coalition sources said the alliance carried out 18 air strikes on Houthi positions on the outskirts of Hodeida on Wednesday.

According to medical sources in the province, 22 Houthi fighters were killed by coalition raids, while three pro-government fighters were killed in a rebel ambush south of Hodeida.

The port city, home to 600,000 people, was captured by the Iranbacked insurgents in 2014 along with the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and a bloc of other countries intervened in Yemen the following year with the goal of restoring the government to power.

Yemen’s government on Tuesday said negotiations had failed to force the rebels from Hodeida, and that a grace period for Un-led peace efforts was over.