Barran Press
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a stark warning, stating that Israeli airstrikes on the Hodeidah port in Yemen last month could amount to war crimes. The organization argues that the attacks pose a grave threat to the food supply, humanitarian aid, and electricity for millions of Yemenis.
On July 20, Israeli air forces targeted the Hodeidah port, which is under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries. The strikes came a day after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed one person.
In a statement published on its website, HRW condemned the Israeli strikes, labeling them as "a seemingly indiscriminate or disproportionate attack that violates the law and could have a long-term impact on millions of Yemenis who rely on the port for food and humanitarian aid." The organization explicitly stated that the strikes could constitute "a possible war crime."
HRW also asserted that the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv, "which deliberately or indiscriminately harmed civilians and civilian objects, could amount to a war crime."
The airstrikes on the port sparked a massive fire that raged for days and resulted in the deaths of nine people, according to Houthi-affiliated media outlets.
HRW reported that the Israeli strikes "killed at least six civilians and injured at least 80 others."
After conducting interviews with 11 individuals familiar with the Hodeidah port and analyzing satellite imagery of the targeted sites, HRW found that the Israeli strikes destroyed or damaged "at least 29 of the 41 oil storage facilities in Hodeidah port, as well as the only two cranes used to load and unload supplies from ships."
The organization further revealed that the strikes destroyed "oil tanks connected to the Hodeidah power plant, which shut down the plant for 12 hours."
The port of Hodeidah serves as a crucial entry point for fuel and humanitarian aid into Yemen, a country where the United Nations estimates that over half the population relies on humanitarian assistance.
Niko Jafferny, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at HRW, stated, "Yemenis are already suffering widespread hunger after a decade of conflict, and these attacks will only exacerbate their suffering."