Houthis may use civilians as human shields, analysts warn

Yemeni forces seized al-Hodeida airport from the Houthis (Ansarallah) on Wednesday (June 20th), with joint forces now advancing on the Red Sea port.

The Yemeni army on Tuesday gained control of the Houthis' supply route between al-Hodeida and Sanaa, after entering the airport and liberating vast areas south of the city.

Local media reported that forces from the 2nd Giants Brigade had encircled the Houthis east of the airport, and recaptured large areas of Kilo 16. They are now closing in on Kilo 16 intersection, which leads to Taez and Sanaa.

Fully controlling the al-Hodeida-Sanaa highway will prevent reinforcements from reaching the Iran-backed militia.

Pro-government forces broke into the airport on Tuesday, sparking heavy fighting in which at least 156 Houthis and 28 soldiers were killed, AFP reported.

Local media reported that 123 Houthis have surrendered, including field leaders, and that a number of the militia's vehicles had been destroyed.

Many have now fled al-Hodeida for population centres south of the city, where local residents say the militia's fighters have prevented them from leaving.

The militia has deployed snipers to high-rising buildings, mosques and schools and has positioned tanks and weaponry in residential neighbourhoods, they said.

Liberating the city and port

"The next step the forces tasked with the liberation of al-Hodeida should focus on is to oust the Houthis from the city and port through a multi-level operation aimed at pressuring and forcing them to surrender," political researcher Yassin al-Tamimi told Al-Mashareq.

"The credibility of the coalition and the military operation lies in successfully liberating al-Hodeida and making the operation as clean as possible," he said.

Mohammed Anaam, former editor of the General People’s Congress mouthpiece al-Mithaq, told Al-Mashareq he is concerned the Houthis may use civilians as human shields to prevent joint forces from liberating the port city.

"The militia will try to exploit the fall of civilian victims" in an attempt to stop the battle, he told Al-Mashareq.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmed Obaid bin Daghr said his government would resume operations at al-Hodeida airport, and reinstate government institutions and salaries to state employees in liberated districts of the province.

In a telephone call with al-Hodeida governor al-Hassan Taher, bin Daghr said President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi has instructed the government to restore services quickly and to reinstate state institutions, including al-Hodeida airport.

The airport will be reopened in co-ordination with the Arab coalition, he said.