The war in Yemen is poised to tip over into complete disaster if Saudi-led and British-supported coalition forces continue their push to invade and occupy the crucial Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
At the time of writing, there is an official ‘pause’ in this offensive as the UN tries peace negotiations. Even so, coalition artillery fire and airstrikes continue. Over 120,000 out of 600,000 residents have fled the city since the Saudi-led assault began on 13 June.
Tarik Jašarevic, for the UN World Health Organization, said on 10 July that conditions in Hodeidah had been some of the worst in the country, even before the escalation of the conflict. The Hodeidah governorate had one of the highest malnutrition rates in the country. Intensification of fighting in Hodeidah endangered not only residents but also the 70 percent of the population of Yemen who depended on vital supplies, including healthcare supplies, that flowed through the port of Hodeidah.
There are already problems because of the coalition’s naval blockade.
On 22 June, Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East research director, said: ‘By delaying vital supplies such as fuel and medicine getting into the country, the Saudi-led coalition is abusing its powers to cruelly inflict additional hardship on the most vulnerable civilians in Yemen.’
Topics: Yemen