Yemeni Forces close to capturing Airport in port city of Hodeibeh
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YEMEN - Yemen, coalition forces are close to capturing airport in port city of Hodeidah.
Quoting residents and sources in coalition forces, Reuters news agency said the alliance, led in the Hodeidah assault by the United Arab Emirates, is attempting to capture the airport in the well-defended city and push the Houthis out of their sole Red Sea port, in the biggest battle of the war.
However, the Houthi movement put up stiff resistance today to keep the Saudi-led coalition from taking full control of the airport.
Ground troops - who include United Arab Emirates forces, Sudanese and Yemenis from various factions - have surrounded the main airport compound but have not seized it so far.
Meanwhile, the UN envoy for Yemen arrived in the rebel-held capital Sanaa today for talks on the key port of Hodeida where rebel fighters are battling a regional coalition.
Martin Griffiths is expected to propose to rebel leaders that they cede control of the Red Sea port to a UN-supervised committee to avoid further fighting with advancing government troops.
Some 70 percent of Yemeni imports pass through the city's docks and the fighting has raised UN fears of humanitarian catastrophe in a country already teetering on the brink of famine.
