Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Human Rights Watch called on Israeli occupation authorities on Thursday to halt unlawful attacks targeting Yemen’s infrastructure.
The organization stated that on January 10, the Israeli military bombed a power plant and two ports in Yemen, resulting in one death and nine injuries.
According to the organization, Israeli airstrikes targeted the ports of Ras Issa and Hodeidah, as well as Haziz power plant in Sana’a, all located in Houthi-controlled areas. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that “Hodeidah port is paralyzed, and Ras Issa port is on fire – no one will be immune.”
The Israeli military claimed to have targeted military objectives. However, Hodeidah and Ras Issa ports are vital for transporting food and other supplies for Yemenis who rely on imports. Approximately 70% of commercial imports and 80% of humanitarian aid pass through the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Salif, which the UN Development Programme’s resident representative, Ake Lottema, described as “crucial for commercial and humanitarian activities.”
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, described these ports as a “lifeline for millions of people” and said they must remain “open and operational.”
The Haziz power plant is the central power station in Sana’a and provides electricity to the city’s residents. Three individuals who spoke to Human Rights Watch reported that electricity was cut off throughout the city for one to two days after the airstrike and has been intermittently cut off since then.
Since July 2024, the Israeli military has repeatedly attacked the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Salif, as well as power plants in the country. At least six civilians were killed and 80 others were injured in the July 20 attack on Hodeidah port alone.
Human Rights Watch found that this attack likely amounts to a war crime. In December, the Houthi health ministry reported that the Israeli military targeted Sana’a airport, killing at least four people and injuring 18 others, including a member of a UN aircraft crew.
The organization stated that both the Israeli authorities and the Houthis must immediately end all unlawful attacks, including those targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
It continued, “The international community must condemn all unlawful airstrikes and pressure the parties to the conflict to abide by the laws of armed conflict and the principles of the protection of civilians.”
