Bahrain Mirror: The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said that victory over the Houthis in Yemen was "close", as the Yemeni forces and the Arab coalition were closing in on the rebel-held port city of Al Hodeidah.

"We are proceeding with our advance on the city of Hodeida and have the right to be proud of our army," the main partner in military coalition operating in Yemen.

"The Yemen test remains tough, but it was an affliction that there was no choice but to confront it," He continued "Cheer up, victory is imminent."

The country has undergone heavy conflicts for years between forces loyal to the internationally recognized government in exile and Ansar Allah group (Houthis) who control Sana'a, Hodeida, and other areas. Saudi Arabia has intervened leading a military coalition in March 2015 supporting the internationally recognized authority.

Yemeni forces, with Emirati aid, set up a force in early 2018 to ramp up the coastal offensive, leading a disparate collective of groups with the stated goal of taking Hodeida.

The coalition stated that the government forces, supported by the alliance, were around 20 kilometres from Al Hodeidah after engaging in clashes with the Houthis

Hodeida lies 230 kilometres from Sana'a and is home to an airport and a main port through which most of the food supplies arrive.

The coalition accuses Al Houthis of using Hodeida as a launchpad for attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and for smuggling in rockets that have been launched at Saudi Arabia heavily since the beginning of the year.

Ever since Monday, Yemeni forces have been receiving reinforcements near the city to siege it down and force the Houthis to hand it over.

Arabic Version