The U.S. Opposes Military Action Against Yemen's Hodeidah Port

U.S. officials on Tuesday, June 5, stated that the United States has warned the UAE not to take military action against the Hodeidah port in western Yemen. This comes as the United Nations warns that escalating military conflict over the Hodeidah port could lead to a humanitarian disaster. Reuters reports that while the U.S. has warned against military operations against Hodeidah, it is said that UAE-backed forces have reached within 10 kilometers of the port. The Hodeidah port is currently under the control of the Houthi Shiite militia. This port is the main route for humanitarian aid to this impoverished and war-torn country. Two informed sources told Reuters that U.S. officials discussed the Yemen crisis and the war in Hodeidah at the White House on Tuesday. The outcome of this meeting and discussion is still unclear. However, a spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House stated that the U.S. opposes any efforts by Emirati forces and their Yemeni allies to seize the city. This spokesperson, who requested anonymity, added that the United States has consistently and transparently stated that it does not support any actions that lead to the destruction of critical infrastructure or exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in this conflict. He added, 'We urge all parties involved to refrain from attacking civilians and economic infrastructure.' Reuters notes that the U.S. government has always urged the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia to avoid attacking civilian areas. UN officials have recently warned that an attack on Hodeidah, which has a population of 600,000, could lead to a humanitarian crisis. According to an urgent UN assessment, a military attack on Hodeidah and its blockade could result in the deaths of thousands in this city. In this context, it was announced yesterday that Martin Griffiths, the UN envoy for Yemen, has traveled to Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, to engage in dialogue with the Houthi rebels. It is reported that recent clashes between Houthi rebels and the Yemeni army around Hodeidah have left over a hundred dead. The Houthi Shiite militia, supported by Iran, captured Sanaa in 2014, causing President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi of Yemen to flee to Aden. A year later, Saudi Arabia formed a regional coalition to attack the positions of the Houthi militia and its allies. Saudi Arabia and its allies blocked all ports in Yemen nearly seven months ago to prevent the shipment of weapons to the Houthi rebels.