A military offensive by Yemen's internationally recognised government to take control of a Red Sea port from the Houthi rebels could begin soon, analysts believe. But there has been little assurance that the operation will receive the US backing needed to be successful.
The Iran-backed Houthis took control of Hodeidah in 2021. It is an entry point for humanitarian aid into Yemen and contains oil storage facilities.
After the US renewed air strikes against the Houthis, armed groups supporting the internationally recognised government have been preparing to march into Hodeidah, analysts said. The attacks on the port city have reportedly killed Houthi figures and weakened the group.
About 80,000 soldiers are being mobilised, said Abdulaziz Sager, founder of the Gulf Research Centre. The operations are not just planned for Hodeidah port, but the surrounding region known as the “fifth district” in western Yemen, and the Taiz province to the south, said Farea Al Muslimi, a fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London.
The capture of Hodeidah would be the “groundwork” for a takeover of the capital Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014. “It has always been the case that if Hodeidah goes down then Sanaa is next," said Mr Sager, speaking at the same Chatham House event. "We are at the stage of counting down the end of the Houthis.”
The group seized control of northern Yemen in 2014, sparking a civil war. A Saudi-led coalition intervened at the request of the internationally recognised government.
Since 2023, the Houthis have launched attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea, actions the group claims are in solidarity with the people of Gaza. The attacks on international shipping prompted the US strikes.
Post-war concerns
But a push to recapture Hodeidah comes with challenges. US military support is not guaranteed, owing to Washington's “inconsistent” foreign policy on Yemen, Mr Al Muslimi said. “There is a lot of illusion from the Yemeni government that they will be armed by the US or they will be given air cover,” he added.
The US has said it will not become involved in the Yemeni conflict. A Saudi-brokered peace process, which was handed over to the UN last year, has been stalled by the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Gen Michael Kurilla of US Central Command met Lt Gen Sagheer Hamoud Ahmed Aziz, Chief of Staff of Yemen’s armed forces this week, and they discussed "ongoing efforts against the Iran-backed Houthis, including the current operation designed to restore freedom of navigation", Centcom said in a statement.
Rather, US decisions on Yemen would most likely be guided by Washington’s “domestic political calculations” and growing isolationism, Mr Al Muslimi said.
A military operation in Hodeidah would be “politically” difficult because it would breach the 2018 UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, he added. This required all parties to the conflict to withdraw from the port city, which the Houthis never did.
Yet there were concerns the internationally recognised government would lack legitimacy in Sanaa and had a limited capacity to govern. Its track record in southern Yemen was plagued by inefficient governance, electricity shortages and rising food prices.
“My honest concern is the next day. If they take Sanaa, what can they deliver to the people that will make them feel that now things are back to normal, there is safety and security, the law is there,” Mr Sager said.
These risks would be amplified by the growing isolation of the US and UK, two of the world's biggest donors to Yemen but that recently decreased foreign aid programmes. “The US is not in the government capacity-building space any more,” said Sanam Vakil, head of the Mena programme at Chatham House.
Mr Al Muslimi urged the US and its allies to turn their attention to Yemen’s peace process. “With some updates, it's still possible in the longer term. Yemen has the better chance of a political process, more than Libya, more than Syria."
Creeping Russian interests
A Houthi agreement with Moscow and Beijing to allow their ships to sail through the Bab Al Mandeb strait without being attacked adds further obstacles to a potential offensive on Hodeidah.
It is not known what the terms of the agreement are, but both Russia and China hold veto power at the UN Security Council and there have been Iran-brokered talks for Russia to send advanced anti-ship missiles to the Houthis. There has also been evidence of Houthis recruiting fighters to join the war in Ukraine.
“It is the elephant in the room, a real dark hole,” Mr Al Muslimi said, answering a question from The National, about the potential long-term affects of the Houthi agreement.
With Russia’s hold in Syria weakened by the toppling of former president Bashar Al Assad, Moscow seemed set to shift resources to Yemen. Russian regional experts previously stationed in Damascus were now in Sanaa, Mr Al Muslimi said. “Losing Syria will only make the Russian presence in Yemen stronger,” he added.
Russia’s recent attempts to open an embassy in Aden – the seat of the internationally recognised government – were mired by a request for free movement, which was rejected by the Yemeni side, Mr Sager said. “The government told them you cannot have free movement, because they know there is some sort of linkage, relations and supply happening,” he said.
Likewise, US President Donald Trump’s trade war with China was likely to make Beijing “more generous” in Yemen, Mr Al Muslimi added.
Update: In an earlier version of this article the quotation "We are at the stage of counting down the end of the Houthis" was wrongly attributed to Farea Al Muslimi. As corrected, above, it was made by another speaker who contributed to this article.
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
THREE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
