Saudi-led alliance pounds Hudaydah during Eid al-Fitr prayer

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition have bombed coastal areas southeast of the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah as local residents congregated for the Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in an open area early Friday morning.

"Many warplanes were flying low over the city during the prayers," a local resident said, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, reports suggest troops loyal to Yemen's former government, under the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, are closing in on the Hudaydah airport.

The Saudi-backed coalition is trying to capture the port city in its yet heaviest assault on the country in more than three years. The offensive threatens to cut the lifeline to millions of Yemeni people already struggling with an acute shortage of vital supplies.

The coalition’s warplanes and warships were reported to have intensified the bombardment campaign on Hudaydah on the second day of the offensive. Helicopter gunships bombed a strip of coastal territory near the airport, causing the civilian population to flee in panic on Thursday.

"The fighting is getting close to the al-Manzar area near the airport and people are fleeing in fear," said Mohammed Abdullah, an official with the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been defending the country against the Saudi-led alliance. "My family left for Sana’a yesterday but I stayed behind alone to protect our home from looters," he added.

The Saudi-led alliance has been pounding the Arab world’s most impoverished nation since March 2015 to restore its former Saudi-friendly government.

The bulk of the country’s imports passes through Hudaydah and the alliance is intent on capturing the port city in the hope of tilting the balance against the Houthis.

Also, coalition warplanes have been heavily pounding the main road linking Hudaydah to Sana'a, in an apparent attempt to block supplies from reaching Houthis who are in control of the capital city.

Saudi-led forces near airport

The Saudi-backed troops are said to have approached the Hudaydah airport and according to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television they are only meters away.

Saudi-backed militants, who are contributing to the offensive on the ground, were said to have taken control of the al-Durayhmi, a rural area about 10 kilometers south of Hudyadah.

Also on Thursday, AFP reported that around 40 people - on both sides - had died during clashes near the airport.


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