Clashes reach residential streets in Hodeida

HODEIDA, Yemen, Nov 11 (AFP): Fighting for control of Yemen's rebel-held city of Hodeida reached residential streets on Sunday, as the Huthi insurgents mounted fierce resistance to government forces backed by Saudi Arabia, military sources said.

Troops entered residential streets in eastern Hodeida with the aim of "purging them of insurgents," according to a pro-government military official.

Fears for civilian safety have been rising since the loyalist forces renewed an operation to take Hodeida, which has been under the control of Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels since 2014.

More than 400 combatants have been killed in 10 days of clashes in the city on Yemen's Red Sea coastline that is home to the impoverished country's most important port. Hodeida is a vital lifeline for Yemenis across the war-torn country, as the majority of imports and humanitarian aid enter through its port.