On the evening of July 20, Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s vital Hodeidah port. The attack put millions of Yemenis, already enduring widespread hunger due to the decade-long conflict, and who rely on the port for food and humanitarian aid, at even greater risk.
The Israeli strikes came a day after the Houthis, who control parts of Yemen, launched a drone strike on a residential neighborhood in Tel Aviv that killed one civilian and wounded four others. The Israeli airstrikes in turn killed at least six civilians and reportedly injured at least 80 others, as well as destroying or damaging civilian infrastructure. Both attacks could amount to war crimes.
The Hodeidah port is critical for delivering food and other necessities to the Yemeni population, who depend heavily on imports. About 70 percent of Yemen’s commercial imports and 80 percent of its humanitarian assistance passes through port, which has been described as a lifeline for millions of people in Yemen.
Following the attack, Human Rights Watch found that Israeli forces damaged or destroyed more than half the oil storage tanks at the Hodeidah port, as well as the only two cranes used for loading and unloading supplies from ships. Our analysis of satellite imagery found the oil tanks burned for at least three days, with toxic fumes and contamination posing serious health risks to nearby communities and the environment.
The attacks also struck the main power plant in Hodeidah, which was the city’s main source of electricity, providing power to hospitals, schools, businesses, and homes. Situated in among the hottest regions of Yemen, the Hodeidah plant generated electricity critical for the powering of fans, air conditioning, and refrigeration.
People across Yemen are facing a dire crisis and the destruction of critical infrastructure could impact them for a long time to come.
Governments supplying arms to Israel and those who may be supplying the Houthis should know they risk being complicit in war crimes. Rather than doubling down on continued suffering for civilians, the Israeli military and the Houthis should end unlawful attacks and stop imperiling the future for millions of people.
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