Rashi Mehta
Israeli warplanes killed almost three people in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port of Hodeidah. Israeli airstrikes on Yemen sparked huge destruction at a critical hub for imports, targeting power stations and fuel storage sites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the port was used as a gateway for Iranian weapons supplies to Houthis.
“This operation struck targets 1,800 kilometers from our borders. It clarifies to our enemies that there is no place where the long arm of the State of Israel won’t reach.” said Netanyahu
Why did Israel strike Yemen?
Israel has carried out air strikes on the Houthi-controlled Red sea port of Hodeidah in Yemen following a revenge for a drone that struck Tel Aviv.
As per Abdulsalam the Israeli strikes were aimed to build pressure on Houthis to stop supporting Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to the strikes, Houthis vowed to plague Israel with further attacks in the Red Sea port.
The Houthis said that they were attacking ships connected with Israel, nevertheless many of the vessels have no connection with Israel. Since the air strikes began the group has also targeted vessels linked to the UK and US.
A Houthis military spokesman said “several”Israel raids have struck the port, a power station and fuel tank in Hodeida.
“We will respond to this blatant Israeli aggression and will not hesitate to strike the enemy’s vital targets. We have prepared, with the help of God Almighty, for a long war with this enemy until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people is lifted,” he said.
The Aftermath of the strikes
Footage of Aftermath of the strikes showed black smoke swirling from massive fires in the port
Mohammed al-Basha, a senior Middle Analyst at Navanti said “ The strikes had resulted in the complete destruction of oil tanks at Hodeidah port, with extensive damage also reported at Hodeida power station,triggering severe fuel shortages across northern Yemen, significantly impacting essential services such as hospital diesel generators. The situation is likely to be exacerbated by the intense summer heat, intensifying the suffering of the local population.”
The strikes are causing a huge amount of suffering to the locals, for instance, a 34 years old Yemeni man said his family has a house near the port in Hodeidah and it has been fully destroyed due to the strikes.
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