Yemen’s port crippled by Israeli air strikes, says UN official

Julien Harneis, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, said that Israel’s air strikes on Yemen’s infrastructure have severely hampered the country’s port capacity, with operations at the critical Hodeidah port now functioning at just 25 percent of its usual capacity.

“The impact of air strikes on Hodeidah harbour, particularly in the last few weeks, is significant,” Harneis said at a UN meeting.

He said that four out of five essential tugboats used to guide large vessels into the port had been destroyed.

In late December, Israeli planes launched a series of air raids, targeting not only the Hodeidah port but also Sanaa airport and several vital power stations.