ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Intensified shelling by the Houthi militia sparked a new wave of family displacement from areas of Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a government official told Xinhua on Sunday.
"Scores of families fled their residential houses following random artillery shelling carried out by the Houthi militia's against Mandhar residential neighborhood in Hodeidah's southern part," the local military source said on the condition of anonymity.
"The random Houthi shelling forced the families to leave their houses seeking safety in other areas and protecting their children's lives," he said.
The source noted that the sporadic indiscriminate Houthi shelling caused severe destruction of the citizens' properties including their houses.
Other residential areas controlled by the Saudi-led coalition forces also witnessed similar waves of displacements during the past days.
The port city of Hodeidah, a vital lifeline for millions facing starvation, has seen a shaky cease-fire between the government and the Houthis since they reached an UN-sponsored truce in Stockholm in December 2018.
Hodeidah is under the control of the Iran-backed Houthis, while the government forces have advanced to the southern and eastern districts.
Both sides have been blaming each other for truce breaches and sporadic military escalation in the strategic Yemeni port city.
Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem
