According to Daghr, as cited by the Anadolu news agency, the liberation of Al-Hudaydah seaport would help secure navigation and maintain security in international waters.
Since Sunday, Yemeni government forces and the Saudi-led coalition have been closing in on Al-Hudaydah, which is a strategic stronghold of the Houthis and a key entry point for humanitarian aid.
Latest situation in Western coast #Yemen according to @A7_Mirza, Arab coalition forces are now northern Al-Derehmy district, 20km southern Al-Hudaydah port and airport. pic.twitter.com/dPtiQAd9CI
— Mohamed Mansour 🇪🇬 محمد منصور (@Mansourtalk) May 28, 2018
Within the last several months, the Houthis have intensified their missile attacks on the Saudi territories, targeting Saudi oil facilities and a military base in the province of Jizan. The Saudi forces intercepted most of the missiles.
Yemen has long been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi movement for several years. The Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.
READ MORE: UN Concerned as Saudi-Led Coalition Advances Near Port in Yemen - Spokesman
The United Nations has taken a number of steps to end the hostilities and bring the parties to the conflict to the negotiating table. Several rounds of UN-mediated talks have not yielded any major results so far.
READ MORE: Yemeni Houthi Rebels Shell Government Forces - Reports
