Barran Press
A sudden and severe fuel shortage has hit the Yemeni capital Sana'a, controlled by the Houthi group, just hours after airstrikes on the port city of Hudaydah, local sources reported on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
Sources told "Barran Press" that most gas stations in Sana'a stopped refueling vehicles starting Saturday evening. Long lines of cars have formed at remaining stations across the city, as citizens scramble to fill their tanks amid fears of a potential fuel crisis or price hikes.
The Yemeni Oil Company, controlled by the Houthis, however, claimed that the supply situation is "completely stable" in both Hudaydah and other areas. In a statement, the company said there is "no justification for pressure on gas stations," adding that it had "previously taken precautionary measures for any emergency."
The fuel crisis comes just hours after Israeli airstrikes targeted key sites and facilities in Hudaydah, which is also under Houthi control. Powerful explosions rocked the city in the afternoon, with Houthi media reporting that oil storage facilities in the port were hit, resulting in casualties.
Israel later claimed responsibility for the airstrikes, with an IDF spokesperson stating, "Our warplanes carried out strikes against Houthi regime targets in the Hudaydah port area in Yemen," according to Al Jazeera. The spokesperson said the strikes were "in response to Houthi attacks over the past months," adding that "there is no change in the instructions for the home front, and any changes will be announced."
The airstrikes come after a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday, which killed one Israeli and injured 10 others. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as "unprecedented."