If the vital port is damaged, the country could tip over the edge into full-scale famine. It involves three different Yemeni factions allied with the government, as well as Saudi and UAE forces.
The coalition hopes that retaking the city could potentially open a pathway to finally retaking the capital of Sanaa from the rebels. To date, coalition bombing in the country has managed to indiscriminately hit civilian infrastructure. Many observers are worried Hodeidah will suffer more of the same.
While talks are on going, Saudi state news announced in the early hours of Wednesday that a hour negotiating period had expired and the offensive was underway. Several actors have warned that the offensive could derail overall peace talks and render short-term military gains ineffective. While the US state department has always vociferously warned against an assault on Hodeidah, in recent weeks the line appears to have softened.
A statement from the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo , on Tuesday said that the US was closely monitoring the situation, but did not explicitly ask the UAE to hold off on the offensive.
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