SWIFT PROGRESS
MANY KEY AREAS LIBERATED • DOZENS OF HOUTHIS KILLED • TROOPS WILL AVOID ENTERING THE CITY
SANAA — Troops in a Saudi-led coalition captured a town south of Yemen’s port city of Hodeida on Thursday as fierce fighting and airstrikes pounded the area, officials said, on the second day of an offensive to capture the strategic harbour.
A Saudi military spokesman described forces drawing closer to Hodeida. —
Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during protests
aden — Arab warplanes and warships pounded Houthi positions in Yemen’s Hodeida for a second day on Thursday, as a Saudi-led alliance tried to seize the main port in the largest battle of a war.
The UN is struggling to avert disruption to the port, the main lifeline for food aid to a country.
The UAE, a driving force in the coalition, said on Wednesday four of its troops were martyred on the first day of the offensive and added that at least one was a navy officer.
The Houthis suffered 30 fatalities on Thursday in the clashes near Hodeida airport south of the city, medical sources said.
Nine pro-government troops were martyred in the same area, the medics said. Military sources said the deaths were caused by mines and snipers.
On shore, the offensive has reached the outskirts of Hodeida airport which is in rebel hands.
“The forces managed to liberate new strategic areas in Al Duraihimi district and areas adjacent to Hodeida airport after penetrating the Houthi militia’s frontlines,” the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
Abdullah Al Rabeeah, head of King Salman Aid and Relief Centre, in a press conference on Wednesday sought to allay the fears of the international community.
“This coalition will start to oper- ate an air and sea bridge, as well as land, to transport aid and medical supplies, food, shelter and fuel other basic necessities to Hodeida province,” he told reporters.
Two Saudi and UAE aid ships were in the waters off Hodeida, coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki told Saudi state media.
The Arab coalition also struck the main road linking Hodeida to the capital Sanaa to block reinforcements, residents and anti-Houthi Yemeni military officials said.
The United Nations says 22 million Yemenis need humanitarian aid, and the number at risk of starvation could more than double to more than 18 million by year end unless access improves.
The world body said it was still bringing aid: “We are there and delivering, we are not leaving Hodeidah,” UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Lise Grande said.
The Arab states say they have plans in place to prevent the battle from causing a humanitarian disaster. They have long been restricting imports into Hodeida to prevent Iranian traffic in missiles to the Houthis. Arab states add that they can swiftly improve food supplies once they control the port.
Ali Al Ahmed, the Emirati Ambassador to Germany, said there were 60,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid ready on ships and trucks to move into the region once the fighting died down. He said it would take Arab forces about 72 hours to clear mines from Hodeida’s port or airport once it captures them. “It’s very important for our credibility to make sure that people in need get the help they need,” he said.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the British government was in contact with the alliance about ensuring its operations comply with international law on protecting civilians.
We have storage capacity very close to Hodeida fully stocked up. We have planes that are ... ready to be flown in once the situation allows for that.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki has said operation “Golden Victory” aimed to wrest control of the port and airport, but that troops would avoid entering the city.
A Yemeni anti-Houthi military official said the 21,000-strong ground force — which includes Emiratis, Sudanese and Yemenis from several factions — was de-mining the coastal strip south of Hodeidah and combing rural areas for Houthi fighters.
This coalition will start to operate an air and sea bridge, as well as land, to transport aid and medical supplies, food, shelter and fuel other basic necessities to Hodeida province Abdullah Al Rabeeah,
head of King Salman Aid and Relief Centre