The recent Israeli bombing of the vital Yemeni port of Hudaydah controlled by the Houthi militia is not expected to deter the group from further attacks but is likely to deepen the already severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen, according to regional experts.
Israeli officials stated that the airstrikes on Hudaydah were in response to a drone attack launched by the Houthis that hit Tel Aviv, resulting in casualties. The Israeli strikes in Hudaydah caused significant damage, with three people killed and 87 injured, many of them suffering severe burns. The port of Hudaydah is crucial for the entry of food imports, fuel, and aid to the northern Yemen, where more than 20 million people depend on its operations.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, Israel’s military spokesman, justified the bombardment as a measure to halt Houthi terror attacks and claimed that they targeted “dual-use” facilities, including energy infrastructure.
Experts, including Yemeni scholars and former American officials, believe that the Israeli strikes are unlikely to significantly impact the Houthi group but will worsen the plight of Yemeni civilians. Adam Clements, a retired U.S. Army attaché for Yemen, mentioned, “Hitting a radar site, a known launch site, or another military target could disrupt Houthi capabilities for a few days more than the port.”
The bombing of the port in Hudaydah, rather than military targets, has raised concerns of exacerbating the suffering of Yemenis who are already enduring one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises due to a decade of conflict.
