Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Khalid bin Salman stressed on Wednesday that the Kingdom has been and will continue to be at the forefront of humanitarian efforts to support the people of Yemen. “These efforts included the recent contribution of $1.5 billion to UN relief efforts in Yemen, the largest in UN history, as well as initiatives to enhance the capacity of ports throughout Yemen, including facilitating the entry of cranes into Hodeidah.” He made his remarks in a series of tweets on the occasion of the launch of Operation Golden Victory to liberate the Yemeni city of Hodeidah from the Houthi militias. “The most effective solution to the situation in Hodeidah, and in Yemen, is for the Houthi militias to adhere to UN Security Council resolution 2216, which calls for the unconditional Houthi withdrawal from all occupied cities,” he continued. “Due to the continued obstruction by the Iranian-backed Houthis of mediation efforts, the former UN envoy to Yemen proposed a plan to hand over control of Hodeidah to the UN. The Yemeni government and the coalition have accepted the proposal,” added the envoy. “Unfortunately, the Houthis, spurred by Iran, rejected this initiative as it did to all other initiatives. The Coalition remains supportive of UN efforts to implement its plan. “The Houthis’ continued obstruction with regards to Hodeidah is due to their use of the port to raise revenues through looting, extortion, and illegal taxation imposed on commercial ships to finance and sustain their military aggression against Yemen and neighboring countries,” charged Prince Khalid. The Houthi militias have also used the port of Hodeidah as a key entry point of smuggled weapons including Iranian provided ballistic missiles. “The Houthis have so far launched 150 ballistic missiles against civilian areas in Saudi Arabia, latest of which was intercepted today. This reckless aggression, supported by Iran is proof of the Houthis’ intentions. No nation can accept such a threat to its land and people on its borders,” stressed the ambassador. “The Coalition’s operations to liberate Hodeidah is part of the Coalition’s unwavering commitment to support the people of Yemen against the tyranny imposed by Iranian-backed militias that are spreading chaos and destruction in Yemen,” he continued. “The liberation of Hodeidah is critical in light of the growing threat that the Iranian backed Houthi militia poses to the maritime security of the Red Sea, a vital waterway through which about 15 percent of international commerce passes.” “Liberating Hodeidah will enhance the maritime security in the region which is crucial for the global economy.” Addressing the humanitarian situation in a sustainable and effective manner requires liberating Yemen from the control of the Houthi militias, which intentionally disrupt the flow and distribution of humanitarian supplies, said Prince Khalid. “As we have seen in post-ISIS Mosul, improving the humanitarian situation significantly, requires reinstating legitimate government institutions and providing continued robust international support.”