New satellite images have unveiled the extensive damage inflicted upon Hodeida’s port by recent Israeli airstrikes, showing its near-destruction. Firefighters have been struggling to extinguish the massive fires for three consecutive days. The situation may worsen if the fire spreads to nearby food storage facilities, which would be devastating for Yemen’s population, many of whom are already grappling with acute hunger and heavily rely on external aid for survival.
The Israeli Air Force carried out the unprecedented attack in response to a deadly drone strike originating from Yemen that targeted Tel Aviv. From Israel’s perspective, this drone attack – which occurred near foreign embassies – was the last straw after months of hostile actions by the Houthi forces.
An AFP analysis, based on Maxar satellite imagery from Monday, revealed at least 33 destroyed oil storage tankers. Wim Zwijnenburg, a project leader with Dutch peace organization PAX, stated that they expect to find more damage as not all storage tanks are visible due to the heavy smoke and burning fuel from the fire.
The death toll from the attack has risen to six people, with over 80 injured. The Yemen Petroleum Company – which manages the destroyed fuel depot – confirmed that all of the deceased were its employees.
Despite concerns from humanitarian groups about vital supplies being blocked due to the emergency situation at the port, Hodeidah’s port official Nasr Al-Nusairi reassured that all ships would be received and there was no need for concern regarding the supply chain and supplies of food, medicine, and oil derivatives.
However, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) expressed concerns about how the damage to Hodeidah’s port could impact the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen. The organization emphasized that any disruption to this vital infrastructure would jeopardize the entry of essential goods and hinder ongoing aid efforts.