A Saudi-led coalition is working to take the city back from the Houthis, its foe in Yemen's bloody civil war. The fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Hodeidah, with clashes involving heavy artillery south of the city.

A doctor at the Al-Thawra Hospital said they received 12 injured and two dead from Al-Manzar village, located near the airport.

The offensive threatens to cut the lifeline to millions of Yemeni people already struggling with an acute shortage of vital supplies.

Meanwhile, reports suggest troops loyal to Yemen's former government, under the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, are closing in on the Hudaydah airport.

Saudi Arabia has stepped up its military campaign in Yemen’s Hudaydah port city. Riyadh-backed forces aim to take control of the strategic area which is the only lifeline for millions of Yemenis.

The Hodeidah deep sea port on the Red Sea is the base from which badly needed food, water and medicine is distributed to more than 8 million Yemenis, and all sides fear the fighting may result in the destruction of the port’s infrastructure.

That would be a tragedy and a disaster for the war-stricken Yemeni people.

There was fierce fighting between the  Houthi-led government of yemen,  and mercenary forces loyal to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.  There has been fierce fighting near Hodeidah airport south of the city.  The mercenary forces attacking Hodeidah , are being supported by Saudi and UAE  airstrikes.

Earlier, Leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi has said that Yemeni people are fighting the battle of liberation and dignity.

"The Battle of the West Coast is a major battle because the forces of invasion throughout history were focused on the coast of Yemen and its islands", Leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi  added.

On the situation of mercenaries and the tools of America and Israel, Leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement  said "The American wants to go stupid Emiratis, Sudanese and Yemeni mercenaries to the dangerous sits while they stay behind.

"We are in a position of strength and the nature of our battle is a liberation battle and a matter of faith," said al-Houthi.

"If we were subjected to America and Israel, we would lose our identity and our dignity",Leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement stated.

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies attacked Yemen in March 2015 to bring back to power the deposed president of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

Thousands of Yemenis have been killed in the attacks conducted by the Saudi-US coalition and more than 2,000 have died due to a cholera epidemic.