UAE Confirms Withdrawal From Yemeni Port City of Hodeidah

Houthis call on Saudi-UAE coalition to leave Yemen entirely

Continuing with their “strategic redeployment” of troops away from Yemen, the United Arab Emirates has confirmed tht they have withdrawn entirely from the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah.

This withdrawal is a particularly important move, both because the UAE wants to cut down troops in Yemen, and because there was a dea with Yemen’s Houthis to save the vital aid port by withdrawing troops from the port.

The UAE isn’t leaving Yemen, but rather is transitioning to a focus of militias, and not military forces. They argue that tensions in the Persian Gulf justify sending more UAE troops back to the UAE.

The Houthis seemed good with the drawdown, but said they would prefer the whole Saudi-UAE coalition just leave Yemen entirely. Troops invaded in 2015, vowing to oust the Houthis and install former President Hadi back in power

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.