HRW: US, ‘Israeli’ Airstrikes on Yemen to be Probed as War Crimes

By Staff, Agencies

Human Rights Watch [HRW] reported that US airstrikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa Port in Hodeidah on April 17, 2025, killed at least 84 civilians and severely damaged critical infrastructure, calling for a war crimes investigation into the attack.

Ras Isa is a vital economic and humanitarian hub, handling nearly 70% of Yemen’s commercial imports and 80% of its humanitarian aid. The port was targeted as part of the Trump administration’s aggression against Yemen, launched in mid-March.

HRW, working with satellite imagery, local reports, and independent monitoring groups such as Airwars and the Yemen Data Project, confirmed the strike destroyed fuel storage tanks, port berths, and customs facilities. Victims included port workers, civil defense personnel, and truck drivers. More than 150 others were injured.

“The US government’s decision to strike Ras Issa Port, a critical entry point for aid in Yemen, while hundreds of workers were present demonstrates a callous disregard for civilians’ lives,” said Niku Jafarnia, HRW’s researcher for Yemen and Bahrain.

“At a time when the majority of Yemenis don’t have adequate access to food and water, the attack’s impact on humanitarian aid could be enormous, particularly after the Trump administration's aid cutbacks,” Jafarnia added.

HRW noted there is no public evidence that the port was being used for military purposes. Even if it were, the scale of destruction and civilian deaths could render the attack disproportionate under international humanitarian law.

In a related development, HRW also condemned two “Israeli” airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport, on May 6 and May 28, which destroyed all Yemenia Airways planes and shut down the only functioning international airport in Sanaa.

“The Sanaa airport is a critical lifeline for Yemeni civilians, many of whom rely on the airport as their only means to access needed medical care,” said Jafarnia. “The ‘Israeli’ military has now severed that lifeline.”