Local Editor
Washington has reportedly warned its close ally the United Arab Emirates not to launch an assault on Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, which United Nations experts fear could precipitate a new humanitarian crisis.
The warning was issued as Emirati-backed militants prepared to attack the Red Sea port, a lifeline for humanitarian supplies for the country's war-wracked populace. The port is controlled by Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement.
U.N. officials have warned that an assault on Hodeidah, which has a population of about 600,000, would cause a humanitarian calamity. A U.N. contingency plan projects that in the worst-case scenario of a prolonged siege, tens of thousands could die.
The Saudis and the Emiratis are seeking American support before launching their assault.
U.S. officials met at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the crisis and it remains unclear whether any decisions were reached.
But a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said Washington opposed any effort by the Emirates to seize the city.
The U.S. and the UAE are close economic and military allies.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
