ALBAWABA- Israeli forces have launched a second airstrike on Yemen’s western port city of Hodeida, targeting oil infrastructure, according to Israeli media reports. Axios, citing Israeli officials, confirmed that the Israeli Air Force carried out the attack, which resulted in a major fire at the port's oil tanks.
Media affiliated with Ansar Allah Houthi group report that Israeli airstrikes targeted a power station and Hodeida International Airport in Yemen, as part of a broader assault.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed that the attacks also hit the port, power station, and oil storage facilities.
According to Israeli Army Radio, the strikes were in response to three Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Israel. Dozens of Israeli aircraft participated in the raids, causing massive destruction. Videos circulating online show heavy smoke covering the city, with oil tanks in northern Hodeida reportedly destroyed.
The airstrikes come after a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024, which killed one and injured ten. This marks the most significant Houthi assault on Israel to date.
The first Israeli strike on Hodeida occurred on July 20, 2024, also targeting the port’s oil facilities and causing widespread damage.
Israel has justified these air raids as retaliation for the Houthi aggression, with military officials warning of further responses. In a statement to Al Jazeera, Houthi spokesperson Mohammed al-Bukhaiti threatened a “painful reply” to the Israeli strikes.
Despite the growing humanitarian risks posed by airstrikes on the critical port city, neither the United States nor the United Kingdom, both of which have conducted air raids on Houthi-controlled areas since January, have condemned Israel's actions.
This silence contrasts with previous Western concerns over the potential humanitarian fallout of attacks on Hodeida, a vital lifeline for Yemen's war-torn population.
