DUBAI, June 14, 2018 (News Wires) -- With land, sea and air support by the UAE Armed Forces, the Arab Coalition and Yemeni Resistance forces began on Wednesday a decisive military operation to liberate Hodeidah city and its strategic port from the grip of the Iranian-backed Al Houthi militias, who rejected peaceful solutions. The forces managed to liberate new strategic areas in Al Duraihimi district and areas adjacent to Hodeidah airport after penetrating the Al Houthi front lines. Following the collapse of their defences, the Al Houthi fighters abandoned their positions, while their commanders fled the areas after the defeat. Colonel Sadiq Al Duwaid, spokesman for the Yemeni National Resistance, said the joint resistance forces made a huge advance towards Al Hodeidah, closing to 8 kilometres within the city's airport and controlling the districts of Al Nekhailah and Al Taif, south of Hodeidah, amid major collapse in the Houthi militias ranks. The Arab Coalition's fighter jets pounded the Houthis reinforcements, while the resistance forces killed and captured dozens of Houthi fighters. "The Yemeni resistance forces foiled attempts by the Houthis to infiltrate Al Madman area in Tahtia towards Al Faza in what appears to be a desperate move to raise morale of their defeated fighters," he added. The assault marks the first time the Arab states have tried to capture such a heavily-defended major Red Sea port city since they joined the war three years ago against the militants, who control the capital Sana'a and most of the populated areas.
