Yemen’s Red Sea Ports Suffer Extensive Damage, Impeding Relief Efforts
Recently, officials from the United Nations provided a sobering assessment of the damage inflicted on Yemen’s Red Sea ports. According to their independent confirmation, less than a quarter of the port capacities remain operational, raising concerns about the ability to deliver essential relief supplies to the citizens of Yemen.
Julien Harneis, the U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, highlighted the significant impact of airstrikes on Hodeidah harbor during a U.N. meeting in Geneva. While not assigning blame for the damage, Harneis warned that it would hinder the delivery of food and fuel to Yemen.
Reports from Yemen indicate that the ports currently hold approximately two months’ worth of cereal and fuel inventories. Despite ongoing efforts by UN officials to work with local authorities to maintain aid operations, the long-term plan to repair the damage to the Red Sea ports, which have been under Houthi control for a decade, faces challenges.
In Hodeidah, it was reported that four of the port’s five tugboats were sunk, with the fifth sustaining damage. Local officials estimate a 70% reduction in the port capacities of Hodeidah, Salif, and the Ras Issa oil terminal.
UN officials revealed that the ports have been targeted four times in the past six months, with U.S. raids focusing on key assets in the region. Additionally, the Israel Defense Force carried out two significant raids in December in response to missile and drone attacks by the Houthis.
Despite efforts to mediate and reach a political solution to the conflict, the Houthi forces continue to launch missile attacks. The ongoing hostilities have not only damaged critical port infrastructure but also pose a threat to the safety of civilian crews and impede the transit of imported aid through the ports.
Harneis cautioned that the current situation poses a high risk of further attacks, hampering UN mediation efforts. The conflict, which began with the Houthi forces seizing western areas of Yemen in 2014 and early 2015, shows no signs of abating.
As the international community grapples with the escalating crisis in Yemen, the urgent need for a sustainable solution to ensure the delivery of vital humanitarian aid remains paramount.