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Yemen attack: UN to hold urgent talks as battle rages around crucial port Pro-government forces 'breach defences' at crucial Yemen port
(about 4 hours later)
The UN Security Council will meet for urgent talks on Thursday about an assault on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, launched by the Saudi-led coalition. Forces loyal to the Yemeni government, backed by Saudi and UAE airstrikes, claimed on Thursday to have breached the first line of defences of Houthi rebels defending the strategic port of Hodeidah.
Pro-government troops began the offensive to retake the rebel-held port city, which is a key aid hub, on Wednesday, despite mounting international fears about the humanitarian fallout. The UAE claimed its operation – dubbed Golden Victory – had reached an area within five miles of the airport, amid reports of terrified civilians trying to flee the city.
The UN Security Council meeting was called after a request from Britain. The closed-door meeting will be the second this week on the Yemen crisis. The Hodeidah deep sea port on the Red Sea is the base from which badly needed food, water and medicine is distributed to more than 8 million Yemenis, and all sides fear the fighting may result in the destruction of the port’s infrastructure, either by Houthi mines or airstrikes directed by the UAE.
The Red Sea port, controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who hail from northern Yemen, serves as the entry point for 70% of the impoverished country’s imports as it teeters on the brink of famine. Britain has called an emergency closed-doors meeting of the UN security council to discuss the offensive, and is facing calls from Russia and some EU countries to agree a statement condemning the attack on the port.
The official United Arab Emirates news agency WAM confirmed that the operation was ongoing “with the participation and the support, through land and sea and air, of the Emirati armed forces”. The Russian foreign ministry said an assault on the port would be a disaster for Yemen, and would halt the peace process designed to end the three-year civil war.
It added that the attacking forces managed to “liberate areas... in the surroundings of the airport” and captured and killed “dozens of Houthi” rebels. The UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, on Wednesday made no call for the Saudi-UAE coalition to call off the attack, only for the coalition to adhere to its promises to protect civilians and keep humanitarian aid flowing.
By Wednesday night, the offensive remained on the outskirts of the rebel-held airport. More than 40 British MPs, including the chairs of three select committees, had urged the British prime minister, Theresa May, to call for the attacks to cease, and if necessary to stop the flow of material support to coalition forces. Britain is one of Saudi’s largest arms suppliers.
The request for the Security Council meeting came after the UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he was still holding negotiations on keeping the key port open to aid deliveries. The UK is the “pen holder” – or lead state for drafting decisions – at the UN on Yemen, but Andrew Mitchell, the former Conservative international development secretary, accused the UK of failing to act neutrally to resolve the crisis, but instead siding with the Saudis.
“We are in constant contact with all the parties involved to negotiate arrangements for Hodeidah that would address political, humanitarian, security concerns of all concerned parties,” he said. He said: “Britain should move from being clear part of the Saudi-led coalition to a position of neutrality which befits its place on the UN security council as one of the five permanent members. It should call for a ceasefire, a laying down of weapons by all parties and the beginning of meaningful negotiations. That is what the UN envoy for Yemen, the British Martin Griffiths, is calling for, and we should back him.”
US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has said he “strongly supports” Griffiths’ efforts “to bring all sides of the conflict to the negotiating table”. He added of the Hodeidah offensive: “This is a militarily lunatic attack on a city of nearly three quarters of a million of people who have nowhere to go, will be driven out to the desert, where there is no water and where they will starve.”
The European Union’s foreign policy chief warned of the “devastating” impact the assault would have. The Saudis and Emiratis claim the capture of the port will be a decisive blow to the Houthis, force its leaders to the negotiating table and prevent Iran extending its influence on Saudi Arabia’s borders. The Iranian-backed Houthis captured the port and the capital of Sana’a from the leadership of the UN-recognised government two years ago.
“The latest developments will only lead to further escalation and instability in Yemen,” Federica Mogherini said in a statement. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and a bloc of other countries intervened in Yemen the following year with the goal of restoring the government to power.
The coalition insisted its humanitarian aid response would go in parallel with military operations. Faced with multiple calls from aid agencies that an attack will disrupt critical aid, the UAE briefed that the capture of the city and port may only take a week, and insisted elaborate contingency plans were in place to ensure the continued flow of aid.
Two Saudi and UAE aid ships were in the waters off Hodeidah, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki told Saudi state media. The UAE has acknowledged that four of its soldiers have been killed in the fighting, and reports have circulated for 24 hours that a UAE warship off the Hodeidah coast carrying soldiers due to invade has been hit by two Houthi missiles. The ship was said to be ablaze.
The two countries also said they would operate a dedicated shipping lane to Hodeidah from Abu Dhabi and the southern Saudi city of Jizan to deliver food and medical supplies. The US defence secretary, Jim Mattis, has said he strongly supports Griffiths’ efforts “to bring all sides of the conflict to the negotiating table”. The US insists it is not involved militarily, but there have been reports it has been advising the coalition on targets to avoid.
In Hodeidah, people waited anxiously for the fighting to reach their neighbourhoods. Those contacted by AFP said Houthi fighters had fanned out across the city.In Hodeidah, people waited anxiously for the fighting to reach their neighbourhoods. Those contacted by AFP said Houthi fighters had fanned out across the city.
Coalition sources said the alliance carried out 18 air strikes on Houthi positions on the outskirts of Hodeida on Wednesday. Coalition sources said the alliance carried out 18 airstrikes on Houthi positions on the outskirts of Hodeidah on Wednesday.
According to medical sources in the province, 22 Houthi fighters were killed by coalition raids, while three pro-government fighters were killed in a rebel ambush south of Hodeidah.According to medical sources in the province, 22 Houthi fighters were killed by coalition raids, while three pro-government fighters were killed in a rebel ambush south of Hodeidah.
The UAE armed forces said on Wednesday night that four Emirati soldiers were killed in Yemen, without specifying when and where.
The city of Hodeidah, home to 600,000 people, was captured by the insurgents in 2014 along with the capital Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and a bloc of other countries intervened in Yemen the following year with the goal of restoring the government to power.
The coalition accuses the Houthis of using the port to secure Iranian arms, notably ballistic missiles the militants have increasingly fired into Saudi territory.The coalition accuses the Houthis of using the port to secure Iranian arms, notably ballistic missiles the militants have increasingly fired into Saudi territory.
YemenYemen
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
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