The Halt of Hodeidah Port 'Could Take the Lives of Hundreds of Thousands of Yemeni Children'

A major children's charity has warned that the halt or destruction of Hodeidah port amid battles between Arab coalition forces and Houthi militants threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children. Save the Children has also warned that the number of malnourished children in Yemen will reach 5.2 million; about 12 million Yemeni citizens are under 15 years old, and the new figures are expected to heighten previous concerns. Tamer Kirolos, Yemen representative at Save the Children, stated on September 19 that 'even a short halt in the delivery of food, fuel, and medical aid through the vital [Hodeidah] port could cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of hungry and malnourished children. Children who will not have access to food.' Hodeidah port, Yemen's main port and the primary gateway for humanitarian aid to the country, is under the control of Houthi militants, but battles for its control between forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, with the support of a Saudi-led coalition, continue with ups and downs. The latest warning from Save the Children comes as reports indicate a resurgence in battles over Hodeidah. The Houthis, militants backed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, have accused government forces supported by Saudi Arabia of 'deliberately' targeting food warehouses. The Saudi-led coalition claims to have 'launched military operations to liberate Hodeidah and its port.' Hadi's loyal forces told AFP that nearly 40 Houthi militants have been killed in the battles from Monday night until now. Reuters reported yesterday that 18 people were killed during an attack by a warship on a fishing boat. The Saudi-led coalition states that this attack was not their doing but rather a 'mysterious vessel' opened fire on the fishing boat. Following repeated requests from the United Nations, battles over Hodeidah had been halted for about 11 weeks. However, the efforts of this organization to bring the parties to the negotiating table and reach an agreement have not yielded results, and current reports indicate an escalation of conflicts. Save the Children, headquartered in London, states that 'this war has put an entire generation of Yemeni children at risk; from bombs and hunger to preventable diseases, they have become a threat to Yemeni children. What will happen to the future of Yemen?'