Pro-Saudi Forces Announce Start of Offensive Against Last Yemeni Rebel Port

Forces are massing south of the city

Jason Ditz 

Posted onMay 14, 2018CategoriesNewsTagsSaudi Arabia, Yemen

Pro-Saudi forces have announced Monday that the “large-scale military operations” against the northern port city of Hodeidah have begun, and that forces intend to continue advancing north until “victory” is achieved.

Hodeidah is the lone seaport under the control of the Shi’ite Houthi movement, and by extension is the only port through which humanitarian aid can flow for the entire northern half of the country. A vital humanitarian location, which to pro-Saudi forces is a vital military target.

Successfully conquering Hodeidah would, after all, mean the Houthi territory, including the capital city and many millions of people, would have no access to food or medical aid. This would be an opportunity for the Saudi invading force to really crack down on them.

Saudi-led forces have been massing just south of the city, and say that while the city itself isn’t the immediate goal of the invasion, it is the eventual point of the operation. The “liberation” of Hodeidah is seen as a potential breaking point for the Houthis.

They envision it forcing a surrender, but it may also could bring millions of malnourished people into outright starvation. This is a known fact, with the UN special envoy warning about this for weeks. Still, Saudi officials have been desperate to break the stalemate in the war, and have also shown little concern for the consequences to civilians.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/05/14/pro-saudi-forces-announce-start-of-offensive-against-last-rebel-port/