{"id":637,"date":"2015-04-02T17:49:19","date_gmt":"2015-04-02T17:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitederitreamedia.com\/blog12\/?p=637"},"modified":"2015-04-02T17:49:19","modified_gmt":"2015-04-02T17:49:19","slug":"rebels-in-yemen-battle-for-control-of-strategic-port-city-by-saeed-al-batati-and-kareem-fahimapril-1-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitederitreamedia.com\/blog12\/2015\/04\/02\/rebels-in-yemen-battle-for-control-of-strategic-port-city-by-saeed-al-batati-and-kareem-fahimapril-1-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Rebels in Yemen Battle for Control of Strategic Port City By SAEED AL-BATATI and KAREEM FAHIMAPRIL 1, 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
\n

AL MUKALLA, Yemen \u2014 Houthi fighters backed by tanks pushed into the center of Aden on Wednesday and were battling for control of the southern port city, despite a weeklong Saudi military offensive against them.<\/p>\n

Witnesses reported fierce street battles and high civilian casualties in the Yemeni city on Wednesday night, including in the Khormakser district along the coast. Local journalists said the Houthis were facing stiff resistance from fighters allied with the exiled president, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A Houthi victory in Aden, Yemen<\/a>\u2019s second largest city, would be a significant setback for the Saudi-led military coalition, which has declared an open-ended operation intended to restore Mr. Hadi to power. Houthi control of the city would most likely expose it to even greater turmoil, as local fighters opposed to the Houthis continued to resist their presence and as coalition forces intensified their efforts to dislodge the Houthis using airstrikes and naval shelling.<\/p>\n