Latest news with #Yemeni
Saba Yemen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Eye of Humanity" condemns crime of targeting Sana'a airport & destroying last plane of Yemenia Airlines
Sana'a - Saba: The Eye of Humanity Center for Rights and Development condemned in the strongest terms the heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation entity, this morning, by targeting Sana'a International Airport with several airstrikes, which led to the destruction of the last remaining civilian plane of Yemenia Air, less than half an hour after it landed in preparation for transporting pilgrims to perform the Hajj. In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the Center explained that this heinous crime is a continuation of a series of flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, the latest of which was the systematic aggression earlier this month, which resulted in the destruction of three Yemeni civilian aircraft, in addition to the airport's reception and departure halls, which led to an almost complete disruption of civil aviation in the Republic of Yemen. The statement pointed out that the Zionist enemy's targeting of civilian aircraft in broad daylight, in full view of the international community, especially the targeting of the plane that was intended to transport Yemeni pilgrims, constitutes a full-fledged war crime and a blatant violation of the sanctity of religious rituals and the right of movement guaranteed by law. The Eye of Humanity Center held the United Nations, the Security Council, and international human rights organizations fully responsible for their shameful and suspicious silence regarding this repeated aggression against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Yemen. He called for breaking the silence, immediate and urgent action to stop the Zionist aggression on Yemen, and the opening of a transparent and independent international investigation into these crimes. He also called on all free people of the world, civil society organizations and human rights institutions to stand in solidarity with the Yemeni people in the face of this iniquitous aggression and to lift the unjust siege imposed on the country for years. He pointed out that what happened at Sana'a International Airport on Wednesday is a clear declaration that the occupation entity does not hesitate to hinder and obstruct one of the pillars of Islam, with its religious symbolism and sacred feelings for Yemenis, which reflects the nature of this terrorist entity based on killing, terrorizing and violating human and religious rights. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Saba Yemen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Human" Organization condemns continued zionist aggression targeting Sana'a airport
Sana'a - Saba: "Human" Organization for Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression targeting Sana'a International Airport, including the bombing of the last remaining aircraft belonging to Yemen Airways, which has inflicted a new tragedy upon the Yemeni people at home and abroad. In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the organization emphasized that this crime is part of a series of unjustifiable violations lacking any military justification. The statement noted that less than a month ago, the Zionist enemy had targeted three civilian aircraft at Sana'a International Airport in its airstrikes, resulting in the complete destruction of the airport's infrastructure. The organization deemed the continued Zionist aggression against civilian facilities a grave violation of international humanitarian law. Despite the scale of destruction, the authorities in Sana'a—recognizing the suffering of citizens at home and abroad—quickly initiated the airport's reconstruction within a matter of days. This effort rekindled hope among Yemenis for the return of stranded nationals, enabling patients to travel for treatment, as well as pilgrims, students, and others to meet their essential travel needs. However, the statement added, "This joy was short-lived, as Israeli warplanes returned once again, exacerbating the suffering of tens of thousands of stranded Yemenis abroad and deepening the isolation of those at home." The "Human" Organization called on the international community, including human rights organizations and governments that champion democracy and human rights, to condemn Israel's crimes in Yemen—a country being punished today for its stance in support of Gaza. The organization stressed that the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court must act to prevent genocide rather than remain silent or complicit. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Saba Yemen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Ras Issa Massacare is US war crime in heart of red sea
Sana'a - (Saba): Introduction: After the United States violated human rights principles and pushed its forces to launch military attacks on the Ras Issa oil port, in clear violation of international law and American law itself, and a clear manifestation of the exercise of force and hegemony against developing countries, and an attempt to mislead public opinion about the nature of the reasons for the operation. In the face of these unjustified attacks, Insan Organization for Rights and Freedoms saw the need to document the crime that deliberately and premeditatedly targeted the destruction of a vital facility that represents an important lifeline for millions of civilians in Yemen. Insan Organization presents to the public and the international community a documented report on the crime of targeting the Ras Isa oil port by US forces, which resulted in the destruction of the port's operational infrastructure and a near-total halt to its operations. This deliberate attack aims to exacerbate the living crisis in Yemen. In this report, Insan documents the details of the attack, presenting evidence and direct testimonies from staff and victims, as well as legal arguments that demonstrate how this attack amounts to a "war crime" requiring international accountability. This document comes as a cry in the face of international silence and an affirmation of the need to end the policy of impunity that encourages the recurrence of such grave violations. Background: In March 2025, Israel resumed its starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip by tightening the suffocating blockade and preventing the entry of food, medicine, and humanitarian aid, causing widespread famine among civilians, especially children and women. Many countries around the world condemned Israel's deliberate genocidal practices through starvation, yet the international community failed to fulfill its role in saving the Palestinians. Yemen declared its support for Gaza and announced that it, in turn, would besiege Israel in the Red Sea, just as Israel is besieging Gaza. It will not stop its siege until the Israeli blockade of Gaza is lifted. This stance represents a noble humanitarian effort by Yemen, one that is in alignment with international law regarding the prevention of genocide. Consequently, the United States of America has initiated extensive military offensives against Yemen since mid-March 2025, with no legal or rational basis except its military and political endorsement of Israel in its genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This has led to the commission of war crimes and egregious violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen. What is Ras Isa Port? Ras Isa Port is a strategic civilian oil facility and a vital seaport serving all Yemeni citizens. It is one of the deepest ports of the Red Sea Ports Corporation, capable of receiving giant oil tankers. This advantage is due to its natural depth of 50 meters and 16 meters near the coast. Protected from the west by Kamaran Island, it provides natural protection from waves and makes it a safe anchorage area. The vast water area of the port's lake and anchorage basin enables it to accommodate more than 50 ships and tankers simultaneously, making it one of the most prominent strategic ports in Yemen. The Crime of Targeting Ras Isa Port: On the evening of Thursday, April 17, 2025, following orders from US President Donald Trump, the United States launched a series of approximately 14 airstrikes on the Ras Isa port, overlooking the Red Sea in the Al-Salif District of the city of Hodeidah, Yemen. These airstrikes completely destroyed its main infrastructure, putting it out of service, as well as targeting trucks transporting oil and gas. The direct airstrikes resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of facility workers, gas company employees, truck drivers, and relief workers, including paramedics and civil defense personnel, who were attempting to provide assistance in the targeted area. This targeting was the result of two waves of airstrikes. The first wave left many workers and truck drivers dead and wounded, and widespread fires broke out. The second wave of raids was carried out concurrently with the arrival of ambulance and firefighting teams who came to retrieve the victims and extinguish the fires. The raids targeted them, along with those wounded in the first wave of bombing, in what amounts to a premeditated and deliberate murder. This massacre left 80 dead and 150 wounded, all of whom were civilian victims. The scene was horrific, with dozens of bodies charred and dismembered by the violent American airstrikes. Dozens of wounded survived, only to suffer the bitterness of this horrific crime amidst the pain of wounds that may accompany some of them for the rest of their lives, resulting in permanent disabilities caused by this brutal targeting. The victims' families were also shocked by the loss of their breadwinners, their loved ones, and the fear of their children, in addition to the significant material damage. This crime is multi-faceted, the most important of which is the direct targeting and killing of civilians while they are carrying out their duties, as well as the targeting of vital facilities upon which civilians depend in their daily lives. Targeting and killing civilians is a crime of genocide, which is considered a war crime. Targeting vital facilities is also a war crime according to the Rome Statute's definition of war crimes, as well as Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. The airstrikes have caused significant damage to the Yemeni economy, which in turn has implications for the lives of civilians. The port's closure will halt shipping, exacerbate humanitarian suffering at all levels, and aggravate the suffering of the Yemeni people, who have been living under a 10-year blockade. This type of targeting causes a stifling fuel supply crisis, increases fuel prices in the local market, creates a supply gap that increases the cost of goods and services, and directly impacts transportation and production costs. It also restricts the movement of goods, particularly in remote areas, leading to elevated prices or unavailability, which in turn creates a food insecurity crisis. It impacts civilians' daily lives, as they rely on domestic gas for cooking and oil for transportation to work and school. The targeting of the Ras Issa facility not only affects the facility itself but also extends to several vital sectors, such as: - The electricity supply to civilian houses, factories, and other areas is affected by the targeting of the Ras Issa facility. - Agriculture and water supply are affected, as fuel is used to pump water to citizens' hoes and farms. - Hospitals and health centers are affected, as they face difficulty in securing energy supplies, which increases the cost of medical services and may even hinder their provision altogether, etc. Testimonies of survivors of the Ras Issa massacre: One victim of the massacre said, "I was there and saw the flames of fire from the bombs falling from the planes we could hear flying overhead. They instilled fear and panic in my heart and in the hearts of the employees and workers." Another reported, "They burned the employees and drivers and set fire to everything with missiles. They burned the gates so that no one could escape, whether the tankers, employees, or drivers. After they burned us with petrol, they attacked the gas company. They targeted the gas cylinders with missiles until they exploded above us and our colleagues, burning them to death, and many were killed." Another wounded man testified, saying, 'My friends were killed next to me, and some of them had their legs cut off by shrapnel.' These are the painful testimonies of survivors of the massacre. One of the wounded said, 'We were waiting to fill up the diesel fuel when suddenly a missile hit the place where the gasoline was. We ran, and then another missile hit the place where the diesel fuel was being filled, the place where we worked. We all ran away, but the strikes continued, one after the other, until the whole place was on fire. With each strike, we tried to take cover. Then we left the place we were in, but it was hit so that the tankers could not be taken out.' Another said, 'While we were waiting to enter to resume work, we were surprised by missiles above us. We were running away, and the missiles were chasing us. They didn't leave a place without striking it, even though it was a civilian facility, but they left us nothing. More of our friends and brothers were martyred than you can imagine, and we still haven't found my brother.' One of the victims added, 'They only targeted civilians. I am a civil defense officer in port security. I was on a fire engine. Suddenly, I felt myself falling to the ground due to the air pressure from the missile explosion. There were many workers, citizens, and locomotive drivers. The locomotives were targeted by several raids at the same time.' Another wounded man asked, 'Why did they target the facility, which is a civilian facility with nothing in it worth targeting?' One witness reported, "The American air force killed civilians, truck owners, and workers, all of whom were innocent." Another said, "Trump and his aides targeted paramedics while they were treating the wounded. He only targets the Yemeni people's resources." A gas truck driver said, "The Americans targeted us and our colleagues. We are gas truck drivers, and we are not to blame. They targeted us, defenseless citizens who came to work to earn a living for our children. Now they have destroyed our livelihoods and those of our children." Another paramedic stated, "During the rescue, I dealt with severe and moderate injuries, and there were some victims who required complex surgeries." US Violations in Yemen: Under the pretext of targeting the Hout ahis (Ansar Allah), the United States is committing flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. It has carried out almost daily airstrikes on various Yemeni governorates, targeting civilians and their homes. The number of civilian casualties since the beginning of the US attacks on Yemen has reached approximately 125 dead, including women and children, and 265 wounded. Civilian objects and facilities, including oil refineries and airports, have been targeted without regard for the serious repercussions for civilians or the importance of neutralizing civilian and vital facilities, as civilians are the primary victims of US airstrikes. It appears as if the US administration is carrying out collective punishment against all Yemenis. Not content with this crime, the United States continued to target the port with several airstrikes days after this massacre. The crime of targeting Ras Isa port from a legal perspective: What the United States is doing in Yemen is an unlawful use of force that requires immediate investigation and accountability. It is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and norms. While the United States claims to be seeking to weaken the Houthi group, what is evident on the ground is that this weakening is affecting the capabilities of Yemeni civilians. All that the United States is targeting are civilian homes, markets, and civilian facilities, with no military targets. These claims cannot justify targeting a civilian facility and causing this level of loss and destruction. Rather, it is a serious violation of international law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I of 1977, and it constitutes a war crime. The US military also didn't issue any warnings prior to the attack to protect civilians or mitigate potential damage, despite its awareness of the port's civilian nature. It deliberately used heavy weapons, thereby disregarding the principles of distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law. This targeting also contravenes the United Nations Charter, as the use of force in international relations is only legitimate in self-defense against an armed attack or with authorization from the UN Security Council. Neither of these conditions was met in the attack on the Yemeni port of Ras Isa. International humanitarian law also prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. A party imposing a siege may not deliberately deprive civilians of supplies essential to their survival (such as food, water, and medical supplies) and may not use starvation as a legitimate means to subjugate its enemy. However, by targeting the Ras Issa facility, the United States of America has deprived all civilians of their basic supplies due to the effects of targeting this facility, as explained above. Civilian objects are defined as all objects that are not military objectives. Military objectives are limited to those objects that, by their nature, location, purpose, or use, make an effective contribution to military action and whose total or partial destruction, capture, or neutralization offers a definite military advantage. If there is doubt about an object normally used for civilian purposes, such as a place of worship, a house or other dwelling place, or a school, the parties to a conflict must presume that it is not being used for military purposes (Protocol I, Article 52). Rule 9 of the ICRC Customary Humanitarian Law Study states that 'Civilian objects are all objects that are not military objectives.' Rule 10 states that 'Civilian objects are protected against attack unless and for such time as they are military objectives.' These rules apply in both international and non-international armed conflicts. Humanitarian law prohibits the use of violence, attacks, and reprisals against civilian objects. It prohibits attacks directed against military objectives and civilian objects indiscriminately, such as those whose primary purpose is to spread terror among the civilian population (Protocol I, Article 51). Humanitarian law sets out specific precautions that must be taken to limit the effects of attacks on the civilian population and civilian objects (Protocol I, Articles 57 and 58), and military commanders are obliged to ensure that these measures are implemented. Rule 7 of the ICRC Study states that parties to a conflict must at all times distinguish between civilian objects (which are protected) and military objectives. It also states that attacks may only be directed against military objectives and must not be directed against civilian objects. This rule of customary international humanitarian law applies in both international and non-international armed conflicts. The extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity constitute a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions (Geneva Convention I, Article 50; Geneva Convention II, Article 51; Geneva Convention III, Article 130; Geneva Convention IV, Article 147). Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such an attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects or widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the natural environment, which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated. We note that the United States achieved no military advantage. Furthermore, the Ras Isa port was targeted, a civilian facility, and there is no evidence that it was used for military purposes, in a grave violation of the agreements. This attack resulted in civilian casualties and civilian damage, without any military gain. The second group concerns the rules that warring parties must adhere to when conducting military operations, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. These principles are binding on every warring party. According to these principles, parties may not target civilians and must ensure that the operations and weapons they choose to use will minimize or avoid civilian casualties. They must also provide adequate warning to the civilian population of an impending attack. However, the US military didn't distinguish between civilian and military targets, nor did it use proportionate weapons or take precautions. Rather, US forces targeted civilians and civilian facilities using heavy weapons and without any warning to civilians. They also targeted and killed civilians working in the Ras Isa port, a civilian facility. Not content with this violation, US aircraft targeted the port again a second time after the arrival of relief workers, including paramedics, firefighters, and rescuers, killing them along with those who preceded them, despite their immunity and protection under international humanitarian law. This constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity. These are indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. Humanitarian law prohibits any type of indiscriminate attack, as such attacks do not distinguish between military and civilian targets. Such attacks are prohibited and are defined in detail under Article 51 of Additional Protocol I of 1997 to the Geneva Conventions, as well as Rules 11, 12, and 13 of the International Committee of the Red Cross's customary international humanitarian law study: • Attacks that are not directed at specific military objectives. • Attacks that employ a method or methods of combat that prevent the targeting of specific military objectives. • Attacks that employ a method or methods of combat whose effects cannot be determined. • Attacks by any means of bombardment or method that treats as a single military objective a number of clearly separated and distinct military objectives located in a city, town, village, or other area containing a similar concentration of civilians or civilian objects. • Attacks that are expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated. This latter prohibition uses a two-pronged notion of 'proportionality' that must be respected: (1) any attacks must be proportionate to the threat faced, and any retaliation must be proportionate to the attack, and (2) civilian casualties or damage caused incidentally must be proportionate to the military advantage anticipated. If the concept of proportionality is not respected, then humanitarian law considers such attacks to be indiscriminate. The requirement to calculate the proportionality of attacks has become a rule of customary law in conflict and non-international armed conflicts: launching an attack that may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated, is prohibited (Rule 14 of the Customary International Humanitarian Law Study). Also, in terms of precautionary measures, the following precautions should be taken in relation to attacks: A. Anyone planning or deciding upon an attack must: 1. Do everything feasible to verify that the objectives to be attacked are neither civilians nor civilian objects and are not subject to special protection but are military objectives (Rule 15 and Article 57 of Protocol I). 2. Take all feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of attack with a view to avoiding, and in any event minimizing, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, and damage to civilian objects (Rules 16 and 17 and Article 57 of Protocol I). 3. Refrain from deciding upon any attack that may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated (Rule 19, Article 57 of Protocol I). B. An attack shall be cancelled or suspended if it becomes apparent that the target is not a military objective or is subject to special protection, or that the attack may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated (Article 57 of Protocol I). C. Effective advance warning shall be given of attacks that may affect the civilian population, unless circumstances do not permit (Protocol I, Article 572; Rule 20). D. When a choice is possible between several military objectives for obtaining a similar military advantage, the objective to be selected shall be the one the attack on which may be expected to cause the least danger to civilian lives and civilian objects (Protocol I, Article 57(3); Rule 21). E. Nothing in this Article (Article 57) may be interpreted as authorizing any attack against the civilian population, civilians, or civilian objects (Protocol I, Article 57(5)). Like other civilian objects, civilian infrastructure in general is protected against attacks during armed conflicts. Civilian infrastructure that provides essential services indispensable to the survival of the civilian population enjoys additional protection under international humanitarian law, as the destruction or damage to these facilities could have serious and long-term consequences for the civilian population. International humanitarian law sets out specific rules for the protection of all civilian objects, particularly civilian infrastructure that provides essential services. These legal provisions are contained in the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. Therefore, according to the aforementioned laws, there is no justification for the US attacks on the Ras Isa facility. Indeed, according to the aforementioned laws, this targeting constitutes a war crime, a crime against humanity, and a violation of all international laws and norms. Recommendations: • To the United Nations and all organizations: Condemn this crime and other crimes committed by the United States in Yemen, and prosecute, try, and punish the perpetrators. • To the United Nations: Conduct an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into this attack. • To the International Criminal Court: Prosecute and try the perpetrators responsible for this attack. • To the United States: Immediately cease its illegal military actions in Yemen and comply with international law. • To the United Nations and the UN Security Council: Oblige the United States to provide compensation to the victims and those affected and to rebuild the destruction it has caused. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
'Hot summer' for Israel: Houthis vow more attacks after Sanaa raid
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansarallah) warned of a 'hot summer' for Israel following an airstrike on Sanaa International Airport. Houthi political leader Mahdi al-Mashat, who visited the site after the strike, pledged intensified retaliation and reaffirmed support for Palestinians in Gaza. 'We will not retreat or surrender.' Mashat also warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Yemeni missiles would bypass Israeli air defenses. 'Our missiles will reach their targets. Shelters will not protect you,' he asserted, adding that commercial flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport could also be at risk. The airstrike marked Israel's tenth on Yemen since the outbreak of the Gaza war, with previous raids targeting cement plants, energy infrastructure, and ports. However, Israeli media have reported growing domestic criticism over the raids' limited deterrent effect.
Saba Yemen
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Scout displays & events for summer course students in Hajjah Districts
Hajjah - Saba: The districts of Hajjah province witnessed on Wednesday scout displays and activities for students of the summer courses, organized by the Subcommittee for Summer Courses in the province under the slogan "Knowledge and Jihad." These displays and events reflected the students' spiritual maturity, level of awareness, insight, and knowledge, as well as the skills they acquired during their academic break. The students, who raised the Palestinian and Yemeni flags, chanted slogans of freedom and disavowal of the enemies of Islam (America and Israel), affirming their continued support for the oppressed and vulnerable in Gaza. They also appreciated the attention given by the revolution leader, Sayyed Abdulmalik Badruddin al-Houthi, to the youth, and his commitment to equipping them with divine guidance and the Holy Quran. At the closing ceremony, the province deputies, district directors, and mobilization officials praised the level of participation and engagement in this year's summer courses, as well as the success of the organizers in graduating students armed with Quranic knowledge, sciences, and beneficial skills. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (Local)
