06-14-2018, 10:43 PM
*** 15-Jun-18 World View -- Saudi Arabia and UAE launch a 'catastrophic' assault on Port Hodeidah in Yemen
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Saudi Arabia and UAE launch a 'catastrophic' assault on Port Hodeidah in Yemen
****
![[Image: g180614b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180614b.jpg)
Fighters in Saudi-led coalition (Reuters)
Large-scale ground operations, supported by the air and naval forces
of the Saudi-led coalition, began to move in on Yemen's port city of
Hodeidah on Tuesday, with the objective of regaining control of the
city from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who captured it in 2015. The
war in Yemen has been largely a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates (UAE) versus Iran since it began in 2015.
The Hodeidah deep sea port on the Red Sea has become a crucial asset
to the Houthi's war effort. NGOs use the port to import badly need
humanitarian aid, including food, water and medicines, for 8 million
Yeminis. The Houthis control these imports, and charge duties that
fund their war efforts. Furthermore, the Houthis use the port to
import Iranian weapons for the war effort.
The internationally recognized government of Yemen is led by President
Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, who has been hiding out in Saudi Arabia
because of the war with the Houthis. While the Houthis are backed by
Iran, Hadi's government is backed by Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to a statement issued by Hadi earlier this week:
<QUOTE>"The liberation of Hodeidah port is a turning point in
our struggle to recapture Yemen from the militias that hijacked it
to serve foreign agendas.
The liberation of the port is the start of the fall of the Houthi
militia and will secure marine shipping in Bab al-Mandab strait
and cut off the hands of Iran, which has long drowned Yemen in
weapons that shed precious Yemeni blood."<END QUOTE>
The Saudis are hoping that the recapture of Hodeidah will force the
Houthis to sue for peace in the proxy war. However, many others
aren't so sure, as numerous previous Saudi predictions of an end to
the war have turned out to be false.
The great fear is that the urban fighting in Hodeidah will be a new
catastrophe, in a repeat of the kinds of assaults that Bashar al-Assad
conducted in Syria's cities of Aleppo and Ghouta. In fact, the
assault on Hodeidah may have to go on for weeks or months, just like
the assaults on Aleppo and Ghouta. According to Lise Grande, the UN
humanitarian coordinator for Yemen:
<QUOTE>"A military attack or siege on Hodeidah will impact
hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. In a prolonged worst
case, we fear that as many as 250,000 people may lose everything -
even their lives."<END QUOTE>
In fact, the ground forces being used by the Saudis have little
experience in urban fighting. They consist of Emirati and Sudanese
forces, as well as a combination of Yemeni groups -- some loyal to
President Abdo Mansour al Hadi, others loyal to former President Ali
Abdullah Saleh, and some advocates of Southern Yemen secession.
The fact that they include militias loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh has
some significance. Saleh used to be fighting on the side of the
Houthis, and tribes loyal to Saleh were supporting the Houthis.
However, the Houthis ambushed and killed Saleh in December of last year,
after Saleh, sickened by the
massive war deaths, called on both the Houthis and Saudis to end the
war, an act that the Houthis called betrayal. So now the tribes
formerly supporting Saleh have switched sides
from the Houthis to the Saudis, and this may be one
of the reasons that the Saudis are hopeful that Hodeidah can be
captured quickly.
Since the beginning of the war, the American and British governments
have providing weapons and logistics support to the Saudis, and they
continue to do so. However, both governments are pressuring the
Saudis to reduce civilian casualties, and are warning the Saudis of
the consequences of a potential humanitarian disaster. Middle East Eye and Australian Broadcasting and Brookings and Middle East Eye (12-Jun)
****
**** Houthis increase missile attacks on Saudi cities
****
The war in Yemen sharply escalated three months ago, when the Houthis
began attacking Saudi cities with missiles.
The missiles have no guidance systems, and the Saudis
were able to destroy many of the incoming missiles using defensive
American-supplied Patriot missiles, but not all, as there have been
some Saudi civilian casualties.
On Saturday, the Houthis fired a "projectile" into Saudi Arabia,
killing three civilians. According to a Saudi military spokesman:
<QUOTE>"The terrorist Iranian-Houthi militia has targeted
civilians with a projectile. ...
The Joint Forces Command of the coalition will strike with an iron
fist all those who threaten the safety and security of Saudi
nationals, residents and critical capabilities."<END QUOTE>
The Saudis fear that the Houthis will obtain sophisticated missiles
with guidance systems from Iran. This is one of the reasons why they
wish to take control of the Hodeidah port.
A Houthi statement warned commercial ships in the Red Sea, one of the
world’s most important trade routes, to stay 20 miles from coalition
warships or potentially face attack. Reuters and Middle East Eye (9-Jun)
Related Articles:
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Yemen, Houthis, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Hodeidah,
Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Lise Grande,
Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Aleppo, Ghouta
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Saudi Arabia and UAE launch a 'catastrophic' assault on Port Hodeidah in Yemen
- Houthis increase missile attacks on Saudi cities
****
**** Saudi Arabia and UAE launch a 'catastrophic' assault on Port Hodeidah in Yemen
****
Fighters in Saudi-led coalition (Reuters)
Large-scale ground operations, supported by the air and naval forces
of the Saudi-led coalition, began to move in on Yemen's port city of
Hodeidah on Tuesday, with the objective of regaining control of the
city from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who captured it in 2015. The
war in Yemen has been largely a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates (UAE) versus Iran since it began in 2015.
The Hodeidah deep sea port on the Red Sea has become a crucial asset
to the Houthi's war effort. NGOs use the port to import badly need
humanitarian aid, including food, water and medicines, for 8 million
Yeminis. The Houthis control these imports, and charge duties that
fund their war efforts. Furthermore, the Houthis use the port to
import Iranian weapons for the war effort.
The internationally recognized government of Yemen is led by President
Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, who has been hiding out in Saudi Arabia
because of the war with the Houthis. While the Houthis are backed by
Iran, Hadi's government is backed by Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to a statement issued by Hadi earlier this week:
<QUOTE>"The liberation of Hodeidah port is a turning point in
our struggle to recapture Yemen from the militias that hijacked it
to serve foreign agendas.
The liberation of the port is the start of the fall of the Houthi
militia and will secure marine shipping in Bab al-Mandab strait
and cut off the hands of Iran, which has long drowned Yemen in
weapons that shed precious Yemeni blood."<END QUOTE>
The Saudis are hoping that the recapture of Hodeidah will force the
Houthis to sue for peace in the proxy war. However, many others
aren't so sure, as numerous previous Saudi predictions of an end to
the war have turned out to be false.
The great fear is that the urban fighting in Hodeidah will be a new
catastrophe, in a repeat of the kinds of assaults that Bashar al-Assad
conducted in Syria's cities of Aleppo and Ghouta. In fact, the
assault on Hodeidah may have to go on for weeks or months, just like
the assaults on Aleppo and Ghouta. According to Lise Grande, the UN
humanitarian coordinator for Yemen:
<QUOTE>"A military attack or siege on Hodeidah will impact
hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. In a prolonged worst
case, we fear that as many as 250,000 people may lose everything -
even their lives."<END QUOTE>
In fact, the ground forces being used by the Saudis have little
experience in urban fighting. They consist of Emirati and Sudanese
forces, as well as a combination of Yemeni groups -- some loyal to
President Abdo Mansour al Hadi, others loyal to former President Ali
Abdullah Saleh, and some advocates of Southern Yemen secession.
The fact that they include militias loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh has
some significance. Saleh used to be fighting on the side of the
Houthis, and tribes loyal to Saleh were supporting the Houthis.
However, the Houthis ambushed and killed Saleh in December of last year,
after Saleh, sickened by the
massive war deaths, called on both the Houthis and Saudis to end the
war, an act that the Houthis called betrayal. So now the tribes
formerly supporting Saleh have switched sides
from the Houthis to the Saudis, and this may be one
of the reasons that the Saudis are hopeful that Hodeidah can be
captured quickly.
Since the beginning of the war, the American and British governments
have providing weapons and logistics support to the Saudis, and they
continue to do so. However, both governments are pressuring the
Saudis to reduce civilian casualties, and are warning the Saudis of
the consequences of a potential humanitarian disaster. Middle East Eye and Australian Broadcasting and Brookings and Middle East Eye (12-Jun)
****
**** Houthis increase missile attacks on Saudi cities
****
The war in Yemen sharply escalated three months ago, when the Houthis
began attacking Saudi cities with missiles.
The missiles have no guidance systems, and the Saudis
were able to destroy many of the incoming missiles using defensive
American-supplied Patriot missiles, but not all, as there have been
some Saudi civilian casualties.
On Saturday, the Houthis fired a "projectile" into Saudi Arabia,
killing three civilians. According to a Saudi military spokesman:
<QUOTE>"The terrorist Iranian-Houthi militia has targeted
civilians with a projectile. ...
The Joint Forces Command of the coalition will strike with an iron
fist all those who threaten the safety and security of Saudi
nationals, residents and critical capabilities."<END QUOTE>
The Saudis fear that the Houthis will obtain sophisticated missiles
with guidance systems from Iran. This is one of the reasons why they
wish to take control of the Hodeidah port.
A Houthi statement warned commercial ships in the Red Sea, one of the
world’s most important trade routes, to stay 20 miles from coalition
warships or potentially face attack. Reuters and Middle East Eye (9-Jun)
Related Articles:
- Al-Houthi missile attack on Saudi cities sharply escalates the Yemen war (27-Mar-2018)
- Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh killed in Houthi ambush (05-Dec-2017)
- Iranian advisors are 'on the ground' with Houthis in Yemen, supplying weapons and intelligence (06-Jan-2018)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Yemen, Houthis, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Hodeidah,
Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Lise Grande,
Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Aleppo, Ghouta
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
