By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2024-10-09

ADEN -- Israeli strikes on al-Hodeidah port in retaliation for the Houthis' missile attacks on Israel have triggered a wave of anger on Yemen's streets, where many accuse the Houthis of bringing destruction upon them.

Israeli fighter jets bombed al-Hodeidah port, al-Hali and Ras Katheeb power plants, and fuel tanks in the Ras Issa oil port in al-Salif on September 29.

The resulting damage knocked electricity out of service in al-Hodeidah province, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement.

Previous Israeli retaliatory strikes on al-Hodeidah, carried out July 20, caused an estimated loss of $20 million.

"As a result of these Houthi adventures and their attacks on Israel, Yemenis are living in a state of discontent and anger towards the Houthis," political analyst Fares al-Beel told Al-Fassel.

"Yemenis have realized after 10 years of Houthi rule that they have only gotten thorns from this axis," he said, referring to the so-called "Axis of Resistance", which serves the Iranian regime's expansionist project.

The current anger on the Yemeni streets is driven by "discontent with the Houthis and Iran," and the suffering they have inflicted on Yemen, he said.

People see the Houthis' inability to repair the damage and understand that the group is embroiled in a crisis of its own making, he said.

Yemenis are "exhausted by the Houthis' absurd adventures," he added, noting that the recent escalation in violence "will only reap more destruction, and what remains of their means of living will be destroyed."

Worthless military displays

"These economic facilities that were targeted in al-Hodeidah belong to the Yemeni people and not to the Houthis," political analyst Abdul Hafeez al-Nahari told Al-Fassel.

The Houthis "must preserve them and not expose them to the risk of bombing and targeting in response to their attacks against others," he said.

"Many Yemenis view the actions of the Houthis in attacking Israel as if they were fireworks -- a drone here and a missile there," Deputy Minister of Justice Faisal al-Majeedi told Al-Fassel.

"The Houthis' actions will not be able to achieve victory for the Palestinian cause or achieve gains for Gaza or lift the siege on it or serve the Yemeni people," he said.

"They are worthless military and political displays through which the Houthis seek to gain popularity."

Through their attacks against Israel, the Houthis want to present themselves as key players, al-Majeedi said -- even though they have repeatedly failed to hit their intended targets.