ORDER OF BATTLE // September 16, 2018
Battle of Al Hudaydah
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 26,000–35,000 estimated
Cabinet of Yemen
25,000
Medium-confidence figure
Supreme Political Council
1,000–10,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The siege of Al Hudaydah, conducted under the codename Operation Golden Victory, was the largest single battle of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen since that intervention began in 2015. The operation was spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and directed against Houthi-held positions in the port city of Al Hudaydah. Control of the port carried strategic weight given its role as a primary entry point for goods into Yemen. Coalition forces under Tareq Saleh's command numbered approximately 25,000, substantially outnumbering estimated Houthi strength of between 1,000 and 10,000 fighters. Casualties were recorded on both sides, though the wide variance in reported figures reflects the contested nature of the battle's documentation.
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