Hodeidah terminal on fire following Israeli strikes in response to Houthis

The port of Hodeidah in Yemen is in flames after Israeli strikes in retaliation for a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv, exacerbating regional tensions and threatening the flow of goods.

Share:

Conflit Hodeidah et tensions régionales

The recent Israeli strikes on the Hodeidah oil import terminal triggered a fire that has been raging since July 21. This attack follows a drone offensive by theIranian-backed Houthis on Tel Aviv on July 19. Israeli bombardments targeted oil storage facilities and natural gas export infrastructure in Hodeidah, a key port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. In May 2024, a tanker had already been damaged by missiles from Yemen.
The Almasirah Media Network reported that the fire could take several days to bring under control, according to port authorities quoted by German news service DW. The Houthis have promised a “significant and important response” and declared on July 21 that they had carried out a targeted military operation on the Israeli port of Eilat. Israeli military forces intercepted a rocket over Eilat.

Regional implications

These attacks are increasing the risks to the flow of goods in the region as hostilities threaten to spread. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack on the Liberian-flagged container ship MV Pumba, which was transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with its final destination the Malaysian port of Klang.
Saudi Arabia denied any involvement in the attack on Hodeidah, 1,800 km from Israel, and said it would not allow any entity to violate its airspace. The United States, which leads a maritime coalition to defend shipping in the Red Sea against Houthi attacks, also said it was not involved in the air strike.

Impact on Imports and Safety

Since 2018, the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates has been the main supplier of refined products to Hodeidah, averaging 7,600 barrels a day in June, mainly diesel. This is down from the peak of 68,600 barrels per day in 2022. Other suppliers include Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, with products such as gasoline and naphtha.
The port of Hodeidah also plays a crucial role for humanitarian aid imports. However, Israeli authorities have accused the port of being an entry point for Iranian weapons destined for the Houthis. Houthi forces, which have controlled the capital Sanaa and most of northern Yemen since 2014, use the areas around Hodeidah to launch missiles against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The recent US sanctions, imposed on July 18, target individuals and companies involved in the Iranian oil trade, accused of financing Houthi naval attacks. These measures reflect the growing complexity of the geopolitical situation in the region.
Recent tensions and attacks around the port of Hodeidah highlight the fragility of maritime trade routes in the region and the complexity of power dynamics in the Middle East. Developments in this situation could have significant repercussions on world trade and energy security.

The European Commission is launching an alliance with member states and industrial players to secure the supply of critical chemicals, amid growing competition from the United States and China.
Trade between Russia and Saudi Arabia grew by over 60% in 2024 to surpass USD 3.8 billion, according to Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, who outlined new avenues for industrial cooperation.
Meeting in Rio, BRICS nations urge global energy market stability, openly condemning Western sanctions and tariff mechanisms in a tense economic and geopolitical context.
Despite strong ties, Iran's dependence on oil revenues limits its ability to secure substantial strategic support from Russia and China amid current international and regional crises, according to several experts.
Egypt’s Electricity Minister engages in new talks with Envision Group, Windey, LONGi, China Energy, PowerChina, and ToNGWEI to boost local industry and attract investments in renewable energy.
The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz places Gulf producers under intense pressure, highlighting their diplomatic and logistical limitations as a blockage threatens 20 million daily barrels of hydrocarbons destined for global markets.
Budapest and Bratislava jointly reject the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian energy supplies, highlighting significant economic risks and a direct threat to their energy security, days ahead of a key meeting.
Libya officially contests Greece's allocation of offshore oil permits, exacerbating regional tensions over disputed maritime areas south of Crete, rich in hydrocarbons and contested by several Mediterranean states.
Hungary, supported by Slovakia, strongly expresses opposition to the European Commission's plan to phase out imports of Russian energy resources, citing major economic and energy impacts for Central Europe.
Israeli military strikes on Iran's Natanz nuclear site destroyed critical electrical infrastructure but did not reach strategic underground facilities, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The French president travels to Nuuk on 15 June to support Greenlandic sovereignty, review energy projects and respond to recent US pressure, according to the Élysée.
Kazakhstan has selected Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation to build two nuclear power plants totaling 2.4 GW, a decision following a favorable referendum and coinciding with Xi Jinping’s upcoming strategic visit.
Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites disrupt US-Iranian talks on the nuclear deal. Tehran now considers canceling the upcoming negotiation round in Oman, heightening regional economic concerns.
Facing alarming breaches of uranium enrichment thresholds by Iran and explicit existential threats, Israel launches targeted military strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, escalating regional tensions dramatically.
The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin aims to help resolve the nuclear dispute between the United States and Iran, leveraging strengthened strategic ties with Tehran.
President Lee Jae-myung adopts an energy diplomacy rooted in national interest, amid a complex international landscape of rivalries that could create challenging situations for the country and its energy businesses.
Paris and Warsaw held a bilateral workshop in Warsaw to strengthen coordination on electricity infrastructure investments and supply security under the Nancy Treaty.
Donald Trump firmly rejects any uranium enrichment by Iran, while Russia affirms Tehran’s right to civil nuclear power, intensifying tensions in negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program.
Syria has signed a $7bn agreement with a consortium of companies from Qatar, Turkey and the United States to rebuild its national power sector.
Friedrich Merz confirmed that Germany would block any attempt to relaunch the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, despite internal calls suggesting a potential reopening of dialogue with Moscow.