Victory in the Battle of Port Midi

On 07/01/2016, forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government, supported by the Saudi led coalition, captured the strategic port city of Midi in Hajjah Governorate during ongoing military operations against Houthi fighters and forces aligned with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The battle formed part of a wider campaign along Yemen’s northwestern Red Sea coastline and represented an important territorial gain for coalition backed forces seeking to pressure Houthi controlled areas near the Saudi border. The offensive involved Yemeni government loyalists supported by Saudi coalition airpower, artillery, naval operations, and regional ground forces. Houthi fighters and Saleh aligned military units had maintained defensive positions around Midi, using the coastal location to support supply and military movements in northern Yemen. After heavy clashes and sustained coalition bombardment, pro Hadi forces entered and secured the port city, forcing many opposing fighters to withdraw inland toward nearby districts. Coalition officials described the capture of Midi as strategically important because the port and surrounding coastline were viewed as possible routes for smuggling weapons and military supplies into Houthi controlled territory. By controlling the port, coalition forces aimed to disrupt Houthi logistics networks operating through the Red Sea corridor and reduce supply access into Hajjah Governorate and other northern front lines. Following the recapture of Midi, Saudi forces established military positions and operational facilities in the area to support continued offensives toward Harad district and nearby border regions. Fighting did not end after the city changed hands, however. Houthi and Saleh aligned forces continued launching insurgent style attacks that included sniper fire, artillery shelling, missile strikes, and infiltration attempts targeting coalition positions and supply routes. Throughout 2016 and into early 2017, coalition backed troops expanded their presence along the Midi and Harad fronts. Reports from the period indicated that anti Houthi forces pushed opposing fighters back by more than 40 kilometers in some sectors, consolidating control over parts of Yemen’s northwestern coastal territory. Coalition aircraft also conducted repeated airstrikes in surrounding areas as military engineers worked to remove landmines and explosive devices left behind during Houthi withdrawals. The prolonged conflict around Midi contributed to worsening humanitarian conditions in Hajjah Governorate. Civilians faced displacement, damaged infrastructure, disrupted trade, and restricted access to food and medical supplies as combat operations and bombardments continued across the coastal region. Humanitarian organizations also warned about the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance in villages and agricultural areas near former front lines. Why This Moment Matters The capture of Port Midi strengthened coalition influence along Yemen’s northern Red Sea coast and highlighted the importance of ports and border regions in the broader Yemen conflict. Although coalition forces secured the city in early 2016, the continuing insurgency around Midi demonstrated how difficult it remained to achieve lasting stability in contested regions of Yemen’s civil war.