HODEIDA: An Israeli strike on Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Hodeida port has caused at least $20 million in damage, a port official said on Monday.
The July 20 attack on Hodeida, the main port under Houthis’ control, destroyed most of the port’s oil storage capacity and triggered a massive fire that lasted for days.
According to Houthis, nine people were killed in the attack, the first strike ever claimed by Israel on Yemen which came a day after a Houthi attack on Israel.
Port official Nasr Al-Nusairi talking to AFP from the harbor after operations restored last week said two cranes were destroyed, a small ship was burnt and a number of buildings were torched.
“There is also damage to the docks,” said Nusairi, the vice president of the Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation which runs the Hodeida port.
Nusairi said the cost of port damage exceeds $20 million, however, the figure does not factor in losses incurred by the destruction of fuel storage capability which is the responsibility of the oil ministry.
He added the port damage caused a temporary interruption of activities but operations were restored quickly. The first two container vessels docked in Hodeida three days after the Israeli attack, according to Houthi officials.
The port appeared resumed its operations on Sunday, with container ships anchored on its docks and workers started unloading containers using cranes.
The Houthis have started attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, in a campaign they say is to express solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.
