If the past few weeks in Yemen are an indicator, the Arab coalition’s perseverance is paying off. Mountain range after mountain range, district after district, is falling to Yemeni national forces as they drive out the Iran-backed Al Houthi militias from its few remaining coastal strongholds.
Troops from Tehami Resistance, the Giant Brigades and the National Resistance, which is led by General Tariq Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, have launched a joint offensive against Al Houthi militants in Al Tuhayata and Al Jarrahi in Hodeida, and a number of mountainous areas west of Taiz. And the UAE Armed Forces have been at the forefront of this effort to free Yemenis from Al Houthi chokehold.
The current offensive in Taiz and Hodeida is part of a major military operation to take the city of Hodeida. The strategic importance of Hodeida city should not be underestimated, as it is home to a major seaport, which the Al Houthis have used to smuggle in weapons from Iran.
Last Sunday, Yemeni and Sudanese troops, backed by the UAE’s navy, air and ground forces, resumed a major offensive on Hodeida city. Dozens of Al Houthi militiamen have been killed, and many hundreds arrested in the face of the UAE-supported assault.
The Arab coalition wants Yemen to be a part of the Arab fold, away from the machinations of regional powers that are trying to spread sectarian discord and plant their proxies in positions of power in order to threaten the stability of the Gulf states.
While the UAE Armed Forces have played a major role in the success of Yemeni national troops, the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has led the humanitarian operations to curtail the impact of the war that was imposed on Yemeni people as a result of the Al Houthi coup of 2014.
With more than 22.2 million people in Yemen in need of assistance, the ERC has consistently risen to the challenge. Since April 2015, the UAE has provided Dh13.82 billion in aid to Yemen, targeting more than 13.8 million Yemenis, 5.3 million of whom are children.
Above all, many Emirati soldiers have given the ultimate sacrifice for the mission. The martyrdom of Sergeant Saeed Mohammad Al Hajri announced on Thursday is another reminder of commitment of Emirati troops as the UAE battles, as part of the Arab coalition, to uphold the legitimacy of the internationally recognised Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
