Fire Erupts Again at Hodeidah Port, 7 Days After Israeli Airstrikes

A new fire broke out at the fuel storage tanks in Hodeidah port (western Yemen) on Saturday, July 27, marking the seventh consecutive day of blazes following Israeli airstrikes.

Local sources told Barran Press that the fire erupted in fuel tank number 38, injuring six people.

On Wednesday, local sources reported a previous fire at one of the fuel tanks in Hodeidah port, four days after Israeli airstrikes that resulted in casualties. The Hodeidah media office, citing the governor appointed by the Houthi group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, stated that "petroleum products ignited in one of the fuel tanks that had been previously extinguished due to the heat of other tanks."

The office added that "the incident led to the re-ignition of the fire in the tank, and efforts are underway to extinguish it," without further details.

The Houthi group had announced on Tuesday that they had successfully extinguished fires at the power plant tanks in Hodeidah, which followed the Israeli airstrikes.

Hodeidah port is a crucial entry point for fuel and humanitarian aid to Yemen, where over half the population relies on humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.

On Saturday evening, July 20, Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on Hodeidah port, targeting fuel tanks, a power plant, and other facilities, resulting in fires that raged for days.

According to Houthi statistics, the Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of nine civilians and injuries to 80 others. Many consider this the first such attack since the Houthis engaged in military operations against Israel, claiming to support Gaza, on November 21, 2023.

The Israeli occupation forces later claimed responsibility for the airstrikes. An Israeli military spokesperson stated, "Our warplanes carried out airstrikes on targets belonging to the Houthi regime in the Hodeidah port area of Yemen," adding that the strikes were "in response to Houthi attacks over the past months."

Early Friday morning, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported the death of one Israeli and the injury of ten others after a drone crashed in Tel Aviv. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as "the first of its kind."