6/5

Regardless of months of warnings from humanitarian agencies, the UN, and foreign governments, Yemeni forces backed by the UAE are advancing toward the port and city of al-Hudaydah.  

UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths held talks with the Houthis to cede Hudaydah Port to the UN. However, the Houthis launched another ballistic missile into Saudi Arabia after his departure, suggesting that things may have gone very poorly.

Griffiths' brief statement upon leaving San'a was optimistic, but had no details.

A UAE-backed Yemeni offensive commanded in part by Tareq Saleh has secured the main coastal road to Hudaydah, advancing roughly 30 miles within less than four days.

6/8

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday it had pulled 71 international staff out of Yemen because of security incidents and threats, moving them to Djibouti.

6/10

The UK’s Department for International Development has sent a note to aid groups warning that “We are doing everything we can through diplomatic channels to discourage an assault on Hodeidah. However despite these actions, a military assault now looks imminent,” and that the Emiratis have  allowed a three-day grace period for the UN and its partners to leave Hudaydah.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network accused the British government of withholding information from the Bosnian government which could have prevented the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

6/11

An MSF Cholera Treatment Center was hit by a Saudi- and Emirati-led coalition airstrike this morning; no patients or staff were injured or killed.

The United Nations ramped up its urgent diplomatic effort to stop the UAE assault on Yemen's main port, fearing this assault will cause a humanitarian disaster.

Over 600 people have been reportedly killed in heavy clashes between pro-government forces and Houthis on the west coast of Yemen over the last week.

Sec. Pompeo released a statement on the Hudaydah offensive that the YPP and other observers read as a “green light” for the assault to begin, despite previously-stated US policy that an attack should be avoided at all costs.

The UN began to pull staff out of Hudaydah after warnings of an imminent attack on the city by coalition forces.

6/12

Mahdi al-Mashat, the new president of the Houthis’ “supreme political council,” announced yesterday that his administration would deliver half of all government workers’ monthly salaries.

Muhammed Ali al-Houthi stated that the United States will be fully responsible for any military escalation toward Hudaydah. Many link this threat to statements made by Ansar Allah in the past signalling their willingness to disturb international shipping lanes.

President Hadi began an official visit today to the UAE, possibly signalling a thaw in his relationship with the UAE leadership.

The UAE issued a 48-hour ultimatum: the UN must convince the Houthis to leave Hudaydah by Tuesday night/Wednesday morning in order to halt a military assault.

Yemeni and coalition forces have launched their main attack on the city of Hudaydah.

6/13

Despite disagreements within the US administration about the wisdom of the Hudaydah offensive, the US is providing intelligence and refueling for coalition forces involved. Bipartisan groups in both houses of Congress have written to Secretaries Pompeo and Mattis to urge them to reconsider US support for the operation.