Source: HT
Context: Israel conducted its first-ever naval strike on Yemen’s Hodeidah Port, targeting docks allegedly used by Houthi rebels to transfer weapons.
About Yemen’s Hodeidah Port:
- Location: Western coast of Yemen, along the Red Sea on the Tihāmah coastal plain.
- Significance:
- Yemen’s chief seaport, handling humanitarian aid, fuel, and commercial imports.
- Features:
- Equipped with modern docking facilities, key lifeline for millions amid war.
- Was shelled in Italo-Ottoman War (1911–12) and pivotal in past regional power tussles.
- Recent Israeli naval strike targeted 2 key piers (A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water) linked to alleged arms transfers.
About Yemen:
- Located in: Strategically located at the entrance of the Red Sea, connecting maritime trade between Europe, Africa, and Asia.
- Boundaries: Saudi Arabia, Oman, surrounded by Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
- Capital:
- The official and most widely spoken language is Arabic.
- Geographical Features:
- Mountainous Terrain: The highest point is Mount Al-Nabi Shuʿayb (12,030 ft), making it the tallest peak on the Arabian Peninsula.
- Tihāmah Coastal Plain: A hot and humid lowland strip along the Red Sea coast, extending from Saudi Arabia down to the Gulf of Aden.
- Eastern Deserts (Rubʿ al-Khali): Includes part of the Empty Quarter, one of the largest sand deserts in the world, with minimal vegetation and extreme aridity.
- Wadis (Seasonal Rivers): Wadis like Wadi Hadhramaut serve as ancient water channels, important for seasonal farming and settlement patterns.
- Rivers: The country has no perennial rivers, relying heavily on rainfall-fed wadis and underground aquifers for water.
- Houthi Conflict:
- Houthi rebels control parts of northern Yemen, including Hodeidah.
- Backed by Iran, they oppose Saudi-led coalition and have targeted Israel with missiles and drones.
- Israel alleges ports like Hodeidah are used for military logistics, prompting strikes.
