Reinforcements rolled into Yemen's al-Hodeida Thursday (June 21st) as the army and its regional allies set their sights on the city's port held by the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansarallah), AFP reported.
Military sources said the army, backed by troops from the UAE, had been sending backup troops to the area ahead of a major offensive to close in on the Red Sea port.
"Our preparations are in their final stages for the advance on the port," a military source said, requesting anonymity.
On June 13th, Yemen's army and its allies launched their offensive to clear al-Hodeida of the Houthis, raising UN concerns for vital aid shipments and food imports through the city's docks.
The pro-government forces announced the capture of the al-Hodeida airport on Wednesday morning.
Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi on Wednesday night called for reinforcements to repel the advance of the government forces, after ongoing fighting left nearly 350 people dead in one week.
