Old Video Shows Houthi Attack on Saudi Aramco, Not Ashkelon’s Industrial Zone
The Claim
BREAKING: Ashkelon Power Plant ENGULFED in Flames! Yemen's Houthis Strike Back with Precision! Their hypersonic missiles prove they're not just brave but DEADLY ACCURATE!
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After Yemeni Houthis claimed an attack on Ashkelon’s industrial zone, social media users widely circulated a video allegedly showing the aftermath of Houthi airstrikes on Israel's Ashkelon power plant.
An X user shared the footage with the caption, “BREAKING: Ashkelon Power Plant ENGULFED in Flames! Yemen's Houthis Strike Back with Precision! Their hypersonic missiles prove they're not just brave but DEADLY ACCURATE!”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral video and found the claim to be misleading.
A thorough reverse image search found the video making the rounds to be unrelated to the recent Houthi attack on Ashkelon in Israel.
Outdated Video Shows Aftermath of Houthi Attack on Saudi Aramco
The video does not show the aftermath of the Houthi airstrikes on Ashkelon’s industrial area, as claimed.
Misbar’s investigation found the footage initially shared on X on March 25, 2022. The translated caption reads, “Scenes from Jeddah after the bombing of two oil tanks in an Aramco facility by the Houthis, according to initial information.”
Furthermore, AlHadath news outlet uploaded the same video to YouTube on March 26, 2022. The video's description states that it features the aftermath of a Houthi attack on Aramco tanks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Yemeni Houthis Attack on Saudi Aramco in 2022
On March 25, 2022, Al Jazeera reported that Yemen's Houthis confirmed launching a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia, following reports about rocket and drone strikes on an oil depot in Jeddah and other facilities in Riyadh.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the group struck Aramco facilities with missiles and drones.
Saree added that the strikes also hit vital facilities in Riyadh, emphasizing that the attacks impacted Aramco facilities in Jeddah, Jizan, Najran, Ras Tanura, and Rabigh with “a large number of drones.”
Houthi Group Attacked Ashkelon’s Industrial Zone
The Yemeni Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone that crashed near Ashkelon on December 25.
In a statement, the Houthis asserted that they launched two drones at Israel, one targeting a “vital and sensitive” location in the Tel Aviv area and the other aimed at Ashkelon’s industrial zone.
The Israeli military confirmed that a drone launched at Ashkelon struck an open area, but it did not report any impact from a second drone or in the Tel Aviv area.
Israel’s Recent Airstrikes on Yemen
On Thursday, the Israeli military launched a major airstrike on areas in Yemen that it said were controlled by the Houthis.
In an interview following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told an Israeli TV station, “We are just getting started with them.”
The attack left at least four people dead and 21 others injured, with strikes hitting the Sana’a International Airport in the city of Al Hodeidah, according to Yemen's Health Ministry.
The Houthis recently escalated their ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israel, stating they are acting in support of the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing Israeli war.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, shared on social media that “the airport came under aerial bombardment” as he and other United Nations officials were preparing to board a plane at Sana’a International Airport. He added that the Israeli attack injured a crew member.
In response to Israel’s airstrike, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam condemned the attack, calling it “a Zionist crime against the entire Yemeni people.”
Read More
This Photo Does Not Show Yemen's Attack on Ashkelon Power Station
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