Sanaa: The internationally recognized Yemeni government is reportedly preparing to launch its largest military operation yet in the ongoing civil war, targeting the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah in an effort to dislodge Houthi rebels. According to Emirati state media, the impending offensive could involve up to 80,000 soldiers mobilized from various regions under government control.
The report cites Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center in Saudi Arabia, who suggested the Hodeidah campaign could set the stage for a broader assault on the capital, Sana’a, which the Houthis have controlled since 2014.
“To my best knowledge, there is a preparation of almost 80,000 soldiers from the legitimate Yemeni government in different locations in order to take over [Hodeidah],” Sager said.
Renewed US Engagement
The reported military buildup comes amid a renewed American military campaign against Houthi positions. Last month, the United States resumed airstrikes, targeting senior figures within the Iran-backed group. On April 12, the Houthis claimed that the US launched ten airstrikes across three Yemeni provinces, following President Donald Trump’s recent vow to “completely annihilate them.”
Sager indicated that the intensified US action may be emboldening Yemeni government forces to escalate their operations, with Washington likely to provide aerial support and intelligence, including drone surveillance, during the Hodeidah campaign.
“I think we might be at the stage of counting down the end of the Houthis,” Dr. Sager said. “They’ve had every chance for a political discussion and be a part of a government that would save Yemen from all this suffering.”
Last week, US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla met with Lt. Gen. Sagheer Hamoud Ahmed Aziz, Chief of Staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces, in Saudi Arabia. The meeting is seen as part of increasing coordination between Washington and the Yemeni military leadership.
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Strategic and Humanitarian Stakes
This is not the first time Hodeidah has been at the heart of the conflict. In 2018, Yemeni, Saudi, and Emirati forces launched a joint siege on the city, aiming to block critical supply lines to Houthi strongholds. However, the offensive triggered global concern over the humanitarian toll, prompting UN warnings that the move could push Yemen into a devastating famine.
As momentum builds for a new offensive, Sager warned of a similar backlash from the international community, especially as global aid networks remain strained by recent budget cuts in American and British foreign assistance.
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With Yemen’s humanitarian crisis already among the worst globally, observers fear a renewed battle for Hodeidah could deepen the suffering of civilians—particularly if aid access is compromised once again.
