Paris- The Yemeni politcal analyst Jamal Al-Awadhi, currently based in Paris, affirmed that the liberation of Hodeidah city represents the most strategic option to weaken the Houthi movement, stressing that regaining control over this vital coastal city would deal a severe blow to the group both militarily and economically.

Al-Awadhi explained that Hodeidah serves as the Houthis’ main artery for smuggling weapons and securing supplies through its ports, in addition to being a primary source of revenue that funds their military operations.

He added that airstrikes  whether American, Israeli, or even targeting Houthi officials — have proven ineffective, since the group’s real leadership rarely appears in public and remains well-protected. He recalled that the Saudi- and UAE-led Arab Coalition had previously assassinated Saleh al-Sammad, the Houthi-appointed president before Mahdi al-Mashat, without causing any fundamental change in the group’s structure or strategy.

The analyst stressed that airstrikes without the backing of Yemeni government forces or the Western Coast Forces advancing to liberate Hodeidah will not yield any decisive outcome, noting that the real fear haunting the Houthis is the prospect of losing Hodeidah and its port, on which they heavily rely to consolidate their political and military grip.

Al-Awadhi concluded that regaining control of Hodeidah would cut off the Houthis from external supply lines and significantly weaken their hold on the territories under their control, paving the way for a genuine opportunity to achieve a comprehensive political settlement to the Yemeni crisis.