Hodeidah Port... developed by the Yemeni revolution, militarized by the Houthi militias, and burned by Israel

With a lot of flame and smoke, the port of Hodeidah went through one of its most difficult periods in years, following the participation of approximately 20 Israeli F15 aircraft in its bombing yesterday, Saturday, July 20.

It appears in the video clips, which revealed the size of the flames of fire and thick smoke, that Israel deliberately bombed the oil and derivatives stores and warehouses of the port of Hodeidah, which places it facing additional difficulties in meeting the increasing need for fuel in the areas under the control of the militia.

Oil facility offices were also subjected to Israeli bombing, along with one of the most important power stations in the city of Hodeidah, in a dangerous escalation of the difficult humanitarian conditions.

Also, 12 warehouses in the port were subjected to partial and total bombardment, with a total area exceeding one million square metres, according to historical data of the Yemeni government, dating back to 2010.

The port, which has been under the control of the Houthi militias since 2014, is located in western Yemen. It is considered one of the most prominent Red Sea ports and the main artery for the entry of aid and goods into the country.

The Israeli bombing of the port came when Benjamin Netanyahu's government said it was a response to the Houthi group's bombing of the city of Tel Aviv with a march, on Friday, July 19, resulting in one dead person and several injuries.

According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, on Friday, an Israeli was killed and 10 others were injured in the march attack, which fell hundreds of meters from the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv.

On Sunday, the head of the "Israel Our Home" party, Avigdor Lieberman, called for the "complete destruction" of the port of Hodeidah in western Yemen, considering that the attack carried out by the Houthi group on Friday caused "enormous damage" to Israel's economy.

Location and origin

The port of Hodeidah was established in 1961 in the middle of the western coast of Yemen - overlooking the Red Sea - in cooperation with the former Soviet Union. It began with three berths with a total length of 410 meters and a depth of 8 meters. It was an open road in which ships were forced to unload their cargo on small sailboats.

After the Yemeni revolution in 1962, the port received the attention of the political leadership, which worked to develop and expand it. By 2014, it included 8 berths and 12 warehouses to store and preserve goods that cannot withstand the heat of the sun and humidity. It is considered the second major port in Yemen.

Its inland land area reached about 7.5 million square metres, while its water area amounted to about 307 million 455 thousand and 726 square metres.

The port's location is characterized by its being not exposed to monsoon winds, being close to international shipping lines, and being naturally protected from waves and water currents.

Importance

The port of Hodeidah is the largest port in Yemen on the Red Sea, and occupies an important position in the governorate and its environs. It constituted a very great economic value for the country, as it received various imports, passenger ships, and tourists.

The value of the port increased after the Soviet Union developed it, as it was able to accommodate ships with a capacity of up to 31 thousand tons, compared to the old port, which accommodated approximately 100 to 150 tons of shipments per day, no more.

West of the city of Hodeidah - which houses the port - are located the international shipping lines used to transport goods between Europe, Asia and Africa via the Suez Canal, and north of the port of Hodeidah is the Ras Issa oil station, which before the Houthi militia’s coup used to derive oil from Ma’rib Governorate, and export 125 thousand barrels per hour. today.

But the Houthi militias refused to implement any clause in the UN agreement, including that regarding the port of Hodeidah, which required it to be opened in exchange for handing over the salaries of state employees that the militias stopped after the coup. The Houthis also invaded about 80 kilometers of the coastal strip following the withdrawal of the joint forces of legitimacy in November 2021.

The Houthis also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement, and it was not enabled to exercise its duties in accordance with the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, which made the port a subject of permanent conflict throughout a decade of war.

Government officials confirm that the Houthi militias collect billions from oil ships arriving at the port of Hodeidah alone since it was fully opened under the truce in April 2022. Last May, the British government said that it recorded the arrival of nearly 500 truckloads of uninspected materials to the port. Hodeidah port, controlled by the Houthis since October 2023.

Last November, Yemeni Defense Minister Lieutenant General Mohsen Al-Daari confirmed that “a number of Iranian ships arrived from the port of Bandar Abbas directly to the port of Hodeidah without undergoing inspection,” considering this “a confirmation of the continued flow of weapons and Iranian experts who are managing the battle of the Houthi militias and their operations at sea.” the Red".