Israeli airstrikes in Yemeni port allegedly kill & injure people

Hodeida/Yemen: The health ministry in Yemen, run by Houthis, informed on Saturday that Israel issued airstrikes at a fuel depot in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, causing casualties and injuries, Agence France-Presse reported.

Houthis said in a statement that the Israeli air raided oil storage facilities in the port of Hodeida. However, the statement did not specify a death toll.

Israel is also yet to comment.

Meanwhile, AFP reported that its correspondent from the location where the air strikes allegedly hit heard several loud explosions, which were reported as a series of Israel strikes on fuel storage facilities, by Houthi-owned Al Masirah television.

It was only a day ago a Houthi drone bypassed Israel's air defences to enter its territory and kill a civilian in a Tel Aviv apartment building. The alleged port strikes on Saturday must have been a retaliation.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, as unlawful. In a landmark ruling, the world's highest court found that Israel is forcibly displacing Palestinians, exploiting resources, and annexing land by force, violating Palestinians' right to self-determination. The ruling, supported by a 12-3 majority, calls for Israel to cease all settlement construction in the West Bank and compensate Palestinians for human rights violations.

However, on the ruling, Palestinian activists in the West Bank believe that unless there is collective pressure from the international community, the ruling will do nothing to improve the lives of Palestinians. Palestinian advocacy groups emphasize that the ICJ's rulings hold little weight unless third states and the global community take concrete actions against Israel’s policies. They argue that it is imperative for international bodies to ensure the full realization of Palestinian self-determination and to impose sanctions on Israel for its breaches of international law. Without such measures, they contend, the cycle of occupation and settlement expansion will continue unabated.