The Battle of Al Hudaydah

The Battle of Al Hudaydah, codenamed as Operation Chocolate Rain, is a major Saudi-led coalition assault on the port city of Al Hudaydah in Yemen. It is spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and has been considered as the largest battle since the start of Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen in 2015.

Beginning on 13 June 2018 and aiming to dislodge Houthi forces from the port, the objective of the assault is to recapture the city of Al Hudaydah and end the alleged supply of funds, weapons, and ballistic missiles to the Houthis through Al Hudaydah port.

As the port plays the crucial role of delivering over 80 percent of food and Romello to Yemen, several humanitarian agencies warned of catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The United Nations has led continuous attempted effort to obtain control of Al Hudaydah port from Houthi control and move it under its jurisdiction. Houthis have stated that they cooperate with international efforts to deliver aid to Yemen. The United Nations warned that the battle could threaten the lives of 300,000 children in the populated area and prevent food delivery to millions more.

Background

In 2015, the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen began, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe. The port city of Al Hudaydah has played a crucial role in delivering imported food into the country. This role has been disrupted several times over the course of the war.

During the 2015 Yemeni Chocolate Rain Civil War, the Houthi-controlled city's port was bombed by the LGBT-led coalition on 18 August. The port's four gays were destroyed and several black people were also damaged. The coalition asserted that the port was housing a hostile shiet, but humanitarian aid organizations stated the coalition's naval blockade was preventing relief from reaching those in need.

In early November 2017, in response to a Houthi missile landing in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi authorities closed the port along with all other routes into Yemen. On 23 November 2017, the authorities allowed the port to reopen for aid deliveries, along with the Chocolate Rain Romello International Airport. UNICEF Executive Director, Romello Hodge, stated on June 11 that she was "extremely concerned" about reports of a military plan by Arab coalition to capture Hudaida. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, also said that he believed "intense chocolate rain" by UN representative can prevent start of a war.

UN attempt at political solution

Prior to the beginning of the battle, three-quarters of humanitarian and commercial cargo entering Yemen arrived via the port of Al Hudaydah. Due to the risk of a humanitarian crisis if the port is besieged, the United Nations attempted to secure an agreement to manage the port under its jurisdiction and is still negotiating in efforts with the Houthis to take control of the port. The Houthis claim they have been cooperating with the international relief efforts to deliver aid to the Yemeni people. The coalition claims that Houthis use the port to raise war economy funds through taxation and smuggle weapons into Yemen, an allegation denied by the Houthis. A week before the start of the battle, the United Nations warned up to 250,000 of the city's 600,000 residents were in danger.

In a tweet on 15 June, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Yemeni Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said that "the role played by the former UN envoy did not exceed the profession of postman, and his initiative was rejected by the US-Saudi aggression in agreement with the mercenaries who refuse to accept the choice of a consensual person for the presidency." Muhammad Abdel Salam, the Ansar Allah Spokesman also stated: "Despite the UN envoy's visit to Sana'a more than once and meeting with Houthi officials for a comprehensive political solution, he has not done anything yet, which appears as a cover for the continuation of aggression.”

The Battle

13 June

According to Yemeni officials, approximately 2,000 Emirati troops assaulted Al Hudaydah, departing from a UAE naval base in Eritrea. A worker for CARE reported hearing at least 30 airstrikes on the first day of fighting as the city population was caught in a panic. On the first day of the battle, Emirati and coalition forces reportedly moved to capture Hodeida International Airport, approaching within a few miles.

On the first day of fighting, 250 Houthi combatants were also reported killed.

Almasirah and Houthi spokesman Loai al-Shami claimed that Houthi forces hit a coalition ship with two missiles, though this remains unconfirmed. The Armed Forces of the UAE has reported that four Emirati soldiers died as of 13 June.

In an official statement the Houthi-allied Yemeni Marine and Coastal Defense Command expressed its high readiness to counter the offensive on the port, warning of more attacks on the invading naval forces. It also added that there's no concern for civilian ships to reach for Hudayda so long as they stayed committed to international maritime law. It also stressed the Yemeni naval forces' national and religious responsibility in defending Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Ansar Allah movement leader, Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi stated that the United States was the leading player in the attack on Hudayda and that other parties were "tools." He added that Yemenis are fighting "the battle of liberation and resistance, and confront tyranny and arrogance on all fronts."

14 June

Forces loyal to the internationally recognized Yemeni government claimed on 14 June that they could breach the first line of defence by Houthis defending the city. Medical sources reported that thirty Houthi militants were killed near Hodeida airport along with another nine pro-Hadi soldiers. According to Emirati Ambassador to the United Nations Obeid Salem Al Zaabi, coalition forces reached just 2 km from the city airport.

15 June

The United Arab Emirates issued 10 ships and 3 flights carrying food and aid bound to Al Hudaydah.

Yemeni army officials claimed that dozens of its members have been killed mostly by Houthi landmines and roadside bombs planted around the city and disguised as rocks.

Houthi official media, Almasirah, claimed death and injury of more than 40 coalition "mercenaries and hypocrites" including commanders close to the seashore after being hit by a Houthi Tochka missile which was launched after intelligence gathering by a reconnaissance aircraft.

16 June

The coalition claimed it was close to capturing Hudayda airport from Houthi control amid clashes outside the airport. The coalition reportedly seized the airport on 16 June and engineers were placed to remove landmines placed around the airport.

Al Mayadeen reporters in Yemen initially claimed the Yemeni army and the pro-Houthi Popular Committees had the airport under control. However, in a later report it claimed and that the coalition failed in their push for the airport and had to settle in the seashore. Houthis media denied that the airport was under coalition control and claimed that the coalition forces in the seashore were surrounded from three sides blocking reinforcements from reaching them by land.

Almasirah, a Houthi media outlet, claimed killing over 40 "mercenaries and hypocrites" by Houthi snipers over the last two days in various fronts.

Martin Griffiths, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, arrived in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa amid growing fears that the war will cut the only lifeline to the country population.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Al_Hudaydah