Battle is on for Yemen’s main port

Battlefield commanders say fighting has intensified outside the airport of the vital Yemeni city of Hodeida, with thousands of pro-government fighters backed by a Saudi-led coalition involved in the assault.

The attack started on Wednesday to seize Hodeida’s vital Red Sea port because of its status as the entry point of most of the country’s imports and UN humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition accuses the Houthis of using the port to smuggle weapons from Iran. The rebels have been raining ballistic missiles down on Saudi cities from across the border.