US-backed forces loyal to the Saudi and UAE governments continue to attack the main Yemeni aid port of Hodeidah Wednesday. While the city itself remains unbreached, ground troops have seized the main road leading into the city, even more tightly restricting flow to and from it.
The Saudi-led naval blockade has put Yemen, which relies on food imports for over 90% of its food, on the brink of a major famine. Hodeidah is the main import site for food, and the last port under the control of the Houthi movement. If the port falls, there will be no way to get food to almost the entire north of the country.
The Houthis are using snipers to keep ground troops from entering the main port area after weeks of offensives. In recent days, they’ve also started tire fires to try to obscure visibility of the port, in an attempt to make it harder for Saudi warships to target the city.
Amid growing international calls to stop threatening the vital port, the Houthis’ leader issued a statement calling US calls for a ceasefire “hypocritical,” given US-backed forces have dramatically escalated their attacks since the call, and US support for those forces has not slowed.
Does Mad Dog Mattis have a muzzle on? You’d think that after demanding an “immediate” cease fire within 30 days any offensive within those 30 days would at least get a mild rebuke from him.
There is something very fishy here. I will start digging for more informatikn. US backed “Yemeni” forces loyal to UAE A N D Saudi Arabia?
The only “Yemeni” troups US supported were mercenaries loyal to UAE. These same mercenaries — including American — for the longest time had led campaign of assasinating leaders in the South that supported the Saudi backed Yemeni president Hadi or were pro independance. US has for the longest time supported UAE takeover, and it all came out in the fight fir Aden. At present — it looks like US has called Saudi bluff. I must double check this — but I sm not sure if there are any southern tribes left that support Saudis. They are all in UAE and US hands. Since UAE is militarily not capable to organize such campaign — it must be US in the lead — and if Saudis hoped for a negotiated way out — this is a clear message that they eill not be alliwed to have a face saving exit. Snd if UAE and YS end up controling access to Hideidah on the land — it becomes irrelevant for the starving people who controls naval blockade. Much fishy stories here as well — throughout the conflict it was US that was stopping and inspecting ships. Ships with food and medicine were NOT alliwed in. Only UN — and a lots of bureaucratic BS assiciated with it. Bittom line — why is US intensifying assault on Hodeidah? Because Saudi did not respond to the generous US offer of capitulation? So now, as thinking goes — Saudis will capitulate — with less leverage.
Thus has slways been US war — period. I am just waiting to see how is this Saudi UAE “friendship” going to manifest. And let us see if Saudis have any aces in the sleave left yet.
Of course if we wanted to do something about starvation — we could have done it ling time ago. Saudi Navy is not capable to enforce blickade. We dud it. And now, we are backing UAE to cut off land connections to the port.
I know families that live there. Most I met in Uganda, when they gad to flee Idi Amin’s canpaign of terror against “foreigners”. Many settled in Hodeidah. I saw them again when working for UN in Sana’a. US is going fior the throat of starving people — hoping they surrender. Even if they lose Hodeidah, back roads into mountains can ferry supplies. I have a feeling this was the reason Nethanyahu visited Oman, and oressure building on thr country to open UK base. To usolate “Iran”. To get foothold in mountais if Yemen is the goal.
In the end, Houthis will have to cut a deal with somebody, a question is — who?
Can’t our vaunted US Air Force bomb them with food and medical supplies? I’d sure vote to increase the “defense” budget to cover the cost.
Pray for the Houthis.