Fatima Alasrar Profile picture
Researcher & Author on #Yemen, #Iran. Non-Resident Scholar @MiddleEastInst | #Chess obsessed. Words in @ForeignPolicy @WPReview @SAISHopkins @Kennedy_School

Aug 3, 2018, 7 tweets

1. The attack on the Hospital and Fishmarket yesterday, which initially was attributed to an airstrike, was denied by Coalition & revealed to be a result of a series of mortar shelling conducted by members of the #Iran-backed #Houthi militia.

Residents in #Hodeidah CONFIRMED.

2. Although we were all skeptical when the coalition denied the airstrikes, all visual images revealed a consistent pattern of mortar shelling. Residents immediately noted that there was no crater or airstrike damage, instead, they uncovered mortar shells. #Yemen

3. I spoke to journalists, residents, and several US military experts who have confirmed to me that this is NOT the type of damage caused by an airstrike. Yemeni military experts noted the same. Below is a picture from #Houthi TV channel inadvertently indicting themselves.

4. Hospital archives were also affected. This is a picture from the archives via #Hodeidah journalist @baseem_aljenani-- This is not the works of an airstrike. And a photo of a nearby hospital (al-Rasheed) that was affected by the #Iran-backed #Houthi militia mortar shelling.

4. The attack coincided with the UNSC meeting on #Yemen, in which Special Envoy @OSE_Yemen gave members a briefing on his plans for a peace process and stopping coalition operations in #Hodeidah.
That #Houthis shelled and immediately called it an airstrike was NOT a coincidence.

5. It's utterly shocking to grapple with the reality that #Iran-backed #Houthis caused this attack to use it as a propaganda opportunity. This may sound unbelievable, yet a majority of #Yemenis I spoke to understand how desperate the militia can go to remain in control.

6. The #Houthi militia has no business shelling#Yemenis with mortars and attacking neighbors with ballistic missiles. Disarmament of the militia and an accountable #yemeni government is what Yemenis needs.

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