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Israeli Airstrike on Hodeidah Damaged Last Remaining Piers

Large fuel spill suggests vessel damage occurred

IAF strike fighter
File image courtesy IDF

Published Sep 23, 2025 9:40 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The Israeli airstrike on the port of Hodeidah last week was intended to reduce the capacity of Yemen's Houthi rebel group, and a new damage assessment published Monday suggests that the attack had significant effects on all the surviving quays. 

According to a new review of satellite imaging by Critical Threats - a joint venture of the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for the Study of War - the attack heavily damaged the handful of piers that were still in operation. Berths 4, 6 and 8 were the only remaining quays in active use early this month, and had been repaired to serviceability after earlier strikes; these piers were hit hard again in the September 16 attack.  

The damage at pier 8 includes an apparent hit on a Comoros-flagged freighter, the Bella A, as reported last week. The vessel appears to be leaking fuel oil into the water and may be partially sunken at its berth, based on satellite imaging from September 20. Another freighter, the Antigua-flagged Ak Gary, also remains stationary alongside at the heavily-damaged Berth 4, with several new and large craters in the quay directly adjacent to the ship's port side. 

The Houthis have declared a "blockade" on Israeli-linked shipping in response to the ongoing operation in Gaza, and have repeatedly attacked passing merchant vessels in the Red Sea. The group has also launched ballistic missile and drone attacks at targets in Israeli territory, causing occasional damage and attracting a vigorous response from the Israeli Defense Forces. Last week's strike on Hodeidah was the 19th time that Israel had conducted a long-range attack on Houthi targets since July 2024, according to a tally maintained by Basha Report.