Yemen families living in terror after air strikes

A SAUDI-LED coalition conducted air strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah airport yesterday to support forces trying to seize control from Iran-aligned Houthi fighters, who are facing their biggest challenge in the war.

Warplanes carried out five strikes on the port city of Hodeidah, a lifeline to millions of Yemenis, according to the official Houthi news agency.

Ground troops, including United Arab Emiratis, Sudanese and Yemenis from various factions, had surrounded the main airport compound on Saturday, a source in the coalition-allied Yemeni military said .

The goal of the allies, led by the Emiratis, is to defeat the Houthis in Hodeidah, the only Red Sea port under their control, and cut off their supply lines to the capital, Sanaa.

“We have lived in a state of terror for three days because we are in a neighbourhood close to the airport,” resident Khaled Ateeq, 38, said. The battle for Hodeidah could drag on, creating more suffering for civilians, who have endured air strikes, port blockades, hunger and a cholera epidemic.

So far, nearly 5 000 families had been displaced in Hodeida province this month alone, the UN said yesterday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 4 458 households had been displaced since June 1, with 36 families losing their livelihood as their farms were damaged in the conflict.