.jpg)
Israel’s war machine targets Yemen’s power infrastructure
Mwatana for Human Rights reported that Israeli warplanes brutally attacked three power generation stations in the coastal governorate of Al-Hudaydah in western Yemen for the second time in a coordinated assault. The attack resulted in dozens of casualties, including six fatalities and 57 injuries, with the victims suffering various degrees of wounds, from severe to moderate. The strikes also caused near-total destruction of the power stations, taking them offline almost entirely.
According to Mwatana, between 4:50 and 5:00 PM on Sunday, September 29, 2024, Israeli aircraft carried out approximately 20 airstrikes on critical infrastructure in Al-Hudaydah. Eight of these targeted the Al-Hali power station in Al-Hali District, two struck the power station at Al-Hudaydah Port in Al-Mina District, and eight more hit the Al-Kathib station in the As-Salif area of As-Salif District. Additionally, four strikes were launched on Ras Issa Port, destroying four fuel tanks, three of which were nearly empty while the fourth was still under construction. This assault immediately impacted hundreds of thousands of residents in the coastal city, as they were left without power in extreme heat, exacerbated by fires and thick smoke from the bombings. Hospitals and healthcare facilities were also affected, with sections like neonatal units and dialysis centers temporarily ceasing operations. The strikes caused widespread panic among city residents and those living near the targeted areas, with fears of a looming fuel crisis prompting citizens in various regions to rush to secure gas and fuel supplies immediately following the attack.
Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Chairwoman of Mwatana for Human Rights, stated, "The Israeli fighter jets’ targeting of civilian infrastructure in Yemen underscores their pattern of attacking essential resources for civilians. This assault exacerbates the suffering of hundreds of thousands in Al-Hudaydah and other governorates. The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including power stations, ports, and fuel tanks, constitutes a war crime, as it leads to environmental pollution and restricts access to essential services and supplies for the population." Al-Mutawakel added, "This is the second time that Israeli aircraft have struck vital assets indispensable for the survival of the civilian population, all while enjoying complete impunity and the disgraceful disregard of the international community and Israel's allies."
She further commented, "This disregard for criminalizing Israeli strikes in Yemen is not surprising, as the international community today continues to ignore the genocide and regional war that Israel has been perpetrating daily for nearly a year. To this day, Israel remains emboldened by this neglect, operating in an environment devoid of genuine and effective accountability mechanisms, all while receiving international support for its actions."
Mwatana warned in its statement that the repeated targeting of Al-Hudaydah ports could completely disrupt them. These ports serve as a crucial gateway for the entry of humanitarian aid, essential supplies, commercial shipments, fuel, and medical necessities for millions of Yemenis. This could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, pushing Yemen into further starvation and suffering. Mwatana emphasized the urgent need for effective measures to curb Israel’s behavior.
It is noteworthy that Mwatana's field team in Al-Hudaydah arrived at the incident site immediately after it occurred, while a central team of researchers from its headquarters in Sana'a reached the site hours later. The team assessed the scene, met with residents and survivors, conducted interviews, and determined the nature of the damage inflicted on the site and the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as the various areas in the governorate, including the effects of power outages amid the extreme heat. Residents interviewed by Mwatana in the city of Al-Hudaydah expressed their concern about the prolonged power outages in light of rising temperatures and their inability to secure alternative energy sources due to high costs.
Salah Muhammad (pseudonym - 45 years old), one of the survivors, told Mwatana, "The residents were rushing and screaming in fear of the bombardment that shook the houses, nearly causing them to collapse on their occupants." Meanwhile, Hussein Mukhtar (pseudonym - 55 years old) stated to Mwatana, "I still hear the sounds of the bombing every time I close my eyes and try to sleep—the missiles in the sky and the explosions still echo in my ears."
Mohammed Saleh (30 years old), a resident of Al-Hudaydah, told Mwatana, "I couldn’t sleep all night because of the heat after the power went out, but what broke my heart was seeing my five-month-old daughter’s body covered in heat rash. Her cries from the pain were unbearable."
Mwatana for Human Rights emphasized that the Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure, specifically power facilities in Al-Hudaydah, could amount to war crimes. These strikes violated international humanitarian law's protection of civilian infrastructure, as well as key principles such as proportionality, protection, and distinction. These attacks undermine the protections granted to essential civilian infrastructure under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that "the extensive destruction of protected property and infrastructure, carried out unlawfully and wantonly," constitutes grave breaches of the Convention and criminal acts.
On July 20, 2024, Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on vital civilian installations in the city of Al-Hudaydah, launching around six dual attacks on oil facilities, fuel tanks, and the docks and cranes at the port of Al-Hudaydah. Additionally, they targeted the central power station located in the Al-Kathib area of As-Salif District in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, northwestern Yemen. The strikes knocked all power stations supplying electricity to the city of Al-Hudaydah out of service and caused extensive damage. Mwatana verified, through field visits to hospitals and medical facilities, the death of nine port workers and injuries to over eighty others. In addition to targeting the central power station in the Al-Kathib area, the airstrikes destroyed three fuel tanks and ignited massive fires that firefighting teams struggled to extinguish, with the fires continuing to burn for more than two days.
In its statement, Mwatana called on the international community, including the United Nations and Israel’s allies, to put an end to the unprecedented and reckless actions of Israeli forces in the region. These actions threaten to plunge the entire region into a full-scale conflict, endangering the lives of millions and jeopardizing both regional and global peace and security.
