The Houthis have raised their combat readiness to the highest possible level in preparation for an expected Israeli retaliation, according to reports in Saudi media on Wednesday.
The Houthis ordered the evacuation of areas near the port in the major coastal city of Hodeidah. They have also moved most military forces to the frontline with government forces.
Local sources told Ashraq Al-Aswat that many new recruits were sent to the frontlines after Israeli leadership threatened that they would do to the Houthis what they did to Hezbollah. Many more experienced units were moved into the cities in preparation for a possible popular uprising against the group.
Commercial sources revealed that the Houthis had evacuated their warehouses in the "Kilo 7" district of Hodeidah due to the fear of an attack.
The merchants told Aswat that they were told to empty their warehouses or ready themselves for the loss of property.
Reinforced frontlines
Yemeni government sources said they had seen reinforced fortifications, including trenches, minefields, and earthen berms, along the frontlines with the Houthis.
Houthi intelligence called on residents of certain areas, asking them to avoid discussing the results of Israeli and American strikes on the phone or on social media.
They asked them to be content with only checking on the status of their relatives without going into detail on the strikes to avoid "tipping off the enemy."