Battle for Hodeidah: Biggest assault of Yemen’s three-year-war begins, putting millions at risk
The Arab coalition battling Houthi rebels in Yemen has begun an anticipated assault on the port city of Hodeidah, an offensive which diplomatic and humanitarian sources warn could put millions of people in danger.
Residents in the city of 600,000 people said that shelling of Iran-backed Houthi positions in the southern suburbs of Seham and Qazabah began around dawn on Wednesday, and Saudi and UAE ships are now positioned just south of the city. Around 2,000 Emirati and Yemeni government-allied troops are also approaching from the west, in what appears to be a pincer movement attack.
Saudi-owned news channels and later state media citing military sources announced the battle had begun shortly after daybreak, a development later acknowledged by Houthi-run Al Masirah news.