Barran Press
Residents in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and other areas under the control of the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, reported a complete communications blackout on Saturday evening, July 20, 2024.
Residents told "Barran Press" that the outage began at 10:00 PM, affecting all Yemobile mobile phone network users. While phone calls were impossible, internet services remained functional.
The communication disruption coincided with a sudden and severe fuel shortage across Sana'a and Houthi-controlled regions, just hours after airstrikes targeted the port city of Hudaydah (southwest Yemen).
Local sources revealed that most gas stations in Sana'a ceased refueling vehicles on Saturday evening, leading to long lines of cars at the remaining stations. Citizens are scrambling to fill their tanks amid rising fears of a potential fuel crisis or price hikes following the developments in Hudaydah.
The Yemeni Oil Company, under Houthi control, however, insisted that the fuel supply situation is "completely stable" in both Hudaydah and other areas. In a statement, the company dismissed any justification for pressure on gas stations, claiming to have taken precautionary measures for any emergency.
These developments come just three hours after Israeli airstrikes targeted vital facilities in Hudaydah.
Powerful explosions rocked Hudaydah in the afternoon, with Houthi media claiming that the strikes targeted oil storage facilities in the port, resulting in casualties.
On Saturday evening, Israel confirmed responsibility for the strikes. An Israeli military spokesperson stated that "our warplanes carried out strikes against Houthi targets in the Hudaydah port area in Yemen," according to Al Jazeera.
The strikes were described as retaliation for "Houthi attacks over the past months." The spokesperson also clarified that there were "no changes to the Home Front instructions, and any changes will be announced," he said.
On Friday morning, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced the death of one Israeli and injuries to 10 others following the crash of a drone in Tel Aviv. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it "the first of its kind."