Al Hudaydah, Yemen - July 20, 2024

Israeli airstrike on sites affiliated with the Houthi forces in Yemen on Saturday triggered a massive explosion, igniting a large fire in the port area of Hodeidah, as shown in videos released by China Global Television Network (CGTN).

Israel's military confirmed Saturday that it bombed sites affiliated with the Houthi forces in Yemen, following an explosive drone attack by the militia that killed a man in Tel Aviv the day before.

The Houthi forces claimed that the strike targeted oil storage and electric facilities in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. According to the group's al-Masirah TV, the attack resulted in several casualties and injuries.

Hodeidah residents said a big column of black smoke and fire at the scene could be seen miles away. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire in the oil storage facilities burned for hours.

The Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets targeted "military targets" of the Houthi forces in response to "hundreds of attacks on the State of Israel in recent months."

The statement followed remarks by Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam who said that the Israeli strikes would not deter the military group from targeting "Israeli cities and ships."

The Houthis claimed that the Friday drone attack was in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are currently under Israeli offensive.

Prior to this, the Houthis had carried out a series of drone and missile attacks on what they called Israeli-linked shipments in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023, aiming to show solidarity with Gaza.

In response, the U.S.-British naval coalition targeted Houthi positions to deter the group. However, this action led to an expansion of Houthi attacks on U.S. and British commercial and military ships.

Since late 2014, the Houthi group has controlled Hodeidah and several northern cities, including the capital Sanaa, pushing the internationally recognized government into the southern and eastern provinces.

Shotlist:
Hodeidah, Yemen - July 20, 2024:
1. Amateur footage of fire, smoke after Israeli airstrike;
2. Various of massive fire;
3. Amateur footage of fire, smoke, buildings;
4. Various of fire, smoke, traffic;
5. Amateur footage of fire, smoke;
6. Amateur night footage of fire, smoke.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]