SANAA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) began on Wednesday morning an all-out offensive to liberate Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah from Iranian-allied Shiite Houthi rebels.
Aid agencies warned that such adventure could cost the lives of 400,000 civilians.
Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV station cited coalition military commanders as declaring the beginning of the major assault after deadline of peace efforts set by the coalition leadership expired this Wednesday morning.
"All peace efforts through political process to re-take control the vital port from the rebels have failed," it reported, referring to peaceful efforts exerted by the coalition-backed Yemeni exiled government through the United Nations special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths.
Spokesman of the Yemeni exiled government army, Brigadier Abduh Mujally, was quoted by Riyadh-based Saba news agency, which is run by the exiled government, as saying "the golden military operation to liberate Hodeidah port city from Houthi militias is kicked off."
The coalition offensive is backed by the United States, according to the Saudi and UAE state media.
Hours earlier, Yemeni exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi flew from the Saudi capital Riyadh to Abu Dhabi to meet UAE officials after a year of tense relationship that led to deadly clashes between Hadi's loyal southern forces and UAE-backed parties over control of the southern port city of Aden.
Hadi met Abu Dhabi crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan to discuss the mutual cooperation over regaining control of Hodeidah city, Saba reported.
The United Nations aid agencies had evacuated their staff from Hodeidah ahead of the deadline on Wednesday morning.
Late night of Tuesday, the residents of densely populated port city reported intensive flight of the coalition warplanes.
In the morning, the residents reported loud explosions that rocking the whole city.
Security sources there said the rebel snipers have been stationing on top of tall buildings as residents stayed indoors.
Hodeidah is the only route of aid supplies and commercial imports to more than 15 millions of population living in territory under control of armed Houthi movement, including the capital Sanaa.
Al Arabiya TV station released new footage of the arrival of new military reinforcement near Hodeidah, including what it said around 1,000 military armoured vehicles to back the push on the city.
It reported that the coalition forces made up of troops from Saudi, UAE and Sudanese army, as well as local Yemeni forces from the southern separatist groups and a brigade commanded by General Tareq Saleh, a nephew of slain former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The TV station said the legitimate forces gathering in Al-Durayhemi district and nearby areas, around 10 km south of Hodeidah.
Thousands of Hodeidah residents were seen fleeing in panic, most heading to Sanaa and surrounding mountainous villages, according to security officers at roads' checkpoints.
Meanwhile, Houthi rebel media has yet to report any attack on Hodeidah from the coalition forces. But it said that their fighters fired two missiles on a coalition warship off the port city, claiming the killing of dozens of coalition soldiers.
The fresh military escalation came eight days after the UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths left Sanaa after meeting Houthi officials over resumption of peace talks and cease-fire.
Griffiths was reportedly offered ending of coalition bombing campaign against Houthi movement in return that Houthis hand over Hodeidah port city to a third party under UN supervision and give up ballistic missiles and join a national unity government.
Saudi Arabia has long accused Houthis of smuggling weapons from Iran through Hodeidah port, an accusation both Houthis and Iran denied.
The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting Yemen's Houthi movement since March 2015 to restore Hadi to power.
The war has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, and displaced over 3 million others, according to the UN agencies.
