Iran’s After Jordan’s dangerous rescue by Gulf game in Syria countries and Lebanon Pages 4-5,7,14 Pages 6,8 June 17, 2018 Issue 161, Year 4 UK £2 www.thearabweekly.com EU €2.50 Battle for Hodeidah a major turning point in Yemen’s war (AFP) Closing in. A column of Yemeni pro-government forces and armoured vehicles arrives in al-Durayhimi district, about 9km south of Hodeidah International Airport, on June 13. Mohammed Alkhereiji coalition forces to cut Houthi sup- Saudi Ambassador to the United perilous situation civilians face in destroy any port or logistics infra- ply lines to Sana’a. States Prince Khalid bin Salman Yemen. structure, we have also put contin- Forces supporting the interna- bin Abdulaziz said on Twitter The spokesman for the Saudi-led gency plans in place to move aid London tionally recognised Yemeni gov- ahead of the operation: “The Hou- coalition, Colonel Turki al-Maliki, by other methods to Hodeidah and ernment supported by Arab coali- this have launched 150 ballistic told Al Arabiya television that anti- points beyond,” she said. n the fourth day of the offen- tion troops launched Operation missiles against civilian areas in Houthi forces advanced along sev- Hashimy said that, besides the sive aimed at liberating Yem- Golden Victory on June 13 to liber- Saudi Arabia, latest of which was eral fronts, “cautiously” to avoid $14 billion provided by the coali- en’s city of Hodeidah from ate Hodeidah, which is suspected intercepted [June 14]… no nation civilian casualties. He also said ci- tion in aid for Yemen, the coalition I Iran-supported Houthi rebels, of being the main location for can accept such a threat to its land vilians in key areas were being pre- would work with aid agencies to Saudi-led coalition forces entered smuggling weapons to Houthi re- and people on its borders.” vented from leaving by the rebels. ensure that, once the port is lib- Hodeidah International Airport. bels. A force of an estimated 9,300 The pro-Iranian rebels have fired UAE Minister of State for In- erated, “we will quickly increase “Army forces backed by the re- ground troops took part in the op- missiles deep into Saudi Arabia ternational Cooperation Reem the capacity of the port and the sistance and the Arab alliance eration. and threatened to launch similar al-Hashimy said Hodeidah port amount of aid flowing through it.” freed Hodeidah international air- “This deadlock must end,” the attacks at the United Arab Emir- would remain open and that the UN Envoy for Yemen Martin Grif- port from the grip of the Houthi UAE Minister of State for Foreign ates. Saudi-led coalition was preparing fiths, who arrived in Sana’a on militia,” the pro-coalition Yemeni Affairs, Anwar Gargash said in a Prince Khalid said that to ad- a plan to deliver aid to the city and June 16, was expected to propose military announced on June 16. statement. “Depriving the Hou- dress humanitarian concerns “in a surrounding areas. the Houthis give control of Hodei- Engineers were said to be clear- this of their control of Hodeidah sustainable and effective manner” “We have ships, planes and dah to a UN-supervised commit- ing the area around the airport port, at the Yemeni government’s Yemen needs to be “liberated” trucks with food supplies and tee, Agence France-Presse report- from mines. request, answers the call of the from Houthi control. “Those mili- medicine to address the immedi- ed. The announcement indicates a people of Hodeidah for freedom tants are accused of disrupting the ate needs of the people,” Hashimy sharp blow to the Houthi militia from the Houthi rule. It means that distribution of humanitarian sup- said in an official statement. Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf and possibly a major turning point the Houthis will no longer be able plies,” he said. “Hodeidah port remains open section editor of The Arab Weekly. in the 3-year-old war in Yemen. to impose their will at the barrel There are fears that the Hodei- to shipping. Should the Houthis The capture of the airport allows of a gun.” dah offensive could exasperate the attempt to further damage and P2 Arab teams off to slow start in World Cup but fans hold out hope Stephen Quillen match, have high hopes for their gional favourite Egypt, which fell Morocco head coach Herve Renard With the tournament’s open- teams, but are looking to score more 1-0 to Uruguay after a last-minute told BBC Sport. “We can only blame ing games around Eid al-Fitr, the than goals during the tournament. header by Jose Maria Gimenez. The ourselves. We gave away a free kick, Muslim holiday that concludes Tunis Russia, which invested $13 billion Pharaohs, however, remain opti- then we scored against our own Ramadan, fans throughout the re- to organise the event, hopes to use mistic, because injured star striker team.” gion gathered alongside family and rab countries hit a rough the limelight to bolster its soft pow- Mohamed Salah is expected in the friends to watch the matches. patch in the opening er and global stature. Saudi Arabia, second match against Russia on Odds for viewership of the tour- matches of the 2018 FIFA which has dozens of female fans June 19. Saudi Arabia, which has nament in the region were boosted A World Cup, with Saudi Ara- attending their first international Former Egypt manager Bob Brad- dozens of female fans after Qatari sports network beIN bia, Egypt and Morocco each losing, football matches in Russia, looks to ley told MLSsoccer.com he is opti- attending their first gave in to regional pressure and but fans across the region are hope- present a more tolerant image as it mistic about the team’s chances but international football announced it would show 22 of the ful their fortunes could reverse. pushes liberal-minded reforms at that it would “go into the next game matches, looks to present tournament’s games for free across The quadrennial tournament, home, including greater participa- knowing their chance to move out a more tolerant image. the Middle East and North Africa, which features a record number of tion of women in sports. of the group is on the line.” where it has broadcasting rights. Arab teams, kicked off June 14 with “I came all the way here for the The Moroccans also suffered a Despite tough odds in a group The decision came after an outcry a dominant performance by host sake of our national team,” Saudi heartbreaking 1-0 defeat in their stacked with England, Belgium and from fans faced with restricted ac- country Russia against Saudi Arabia. national Reem al-Muteiry told the first match. Despite a tough-fought Panama, Tunisian fans were con- cess to the games due to high broad- Russia defeated the Saudis, 5-0, Associated Press. “The presence match, the team allowed an own fident their team could put on a casting fees. as Russian President Vladimir Putin of Saudi women here should be a goal in the 95th minute, handing strong performance. and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed source of pride for both the king- Iran its first World Cup victory since “I’m hopeful based on the last Stephen Quillen is an Arab Weekly bin Salman bin Abdulaziz watched. dom and the team.” 1998. performances we’ve seen. We have correspondent in Tunis. The two leaders, seen smiling and The second day of the tourna- “It was the worst thing that could a good team,” said Tunisian fan laughing together throughout the ment proved disappointing for re- have happened in injury time,” Ahmed Nasri. P6, 21 2 June 17, 2018 News & Analysis Gulf Operation Golden Victory shows coalition’s resolve to defeat Houthis Mohammed Alkhereiji accused of occupying the Yem- eni island of Socotra. Saudi Arabia stepped in to mediate a truce. London Hadi travelled to Abu Dhabi on June 13 and met with UAE Crown emeni pro-government Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin and coalition forces took Zayed al-Nahyan to discuss the control of Hodeidah Inter- fight against the Houthis and hu- Y national Airport, 72 hours manitarian relief efforts, the Yem- after launching Operation Golden eni pro-government Saba news Victory to capture the key port of agency said. Hodeidah from Iran-allied rebels. Sheikh Mohammed noted that “Breaking: army forces support- the meeting coincided with the an- ed by the resistance and the Arab niversary of the liberation of Aden coalition liberate #Hodeidah inter- and that “more victories will fol- national airport from the grasp of l o w.” the Houthi militias. The engineer- Saudi and UAE media said Opera- ing team is starting to cleanse the tion Golden Victory would force the airport and surrounding areas from rebels to the negotiation table. Sau- mines and explosive devices,” the di media outlets carried statements media wing of the internationally by Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mo- recognised government of Yemen hammed al-Jaber saying: “I bring said on Twitter. you good news… Hodeidah is being The Associated Press quoted liberated and Yemen is breathing.” Yemeni officials as saying that doz- The day after the operation began, ens of pro-government fighters had Saudi news channel Al Ekhbariya been killed since Golden Victory showed the Saudi-led military coa- began on June 13 while the bod- lition preparing for the operation ies of Houthi fighters were strewn with fighter jets, armoured vehicles across the front lines. and missile launchers. The channel carried interviews with Yemenis thanking Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the coalition Coalition spokesman Turki for their support.