Old video falsely linked to Israel’s targeting of Hezyaz power plant south of Sana’a

Media outlets and social media accounts published a video clip of a huge fire, claiming that it documents the Israeli targeting of the Hezyaz power station south of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The video was accompanied by the following description: “Israeli Channel 12 confirms: The Navy attacked targets in Yemen this morning. The raids at dawn targeted the Hezyaz power station south of Sanaa.” 

Kashif verified the video clip via Google Images search, and found that it was old and falsely linked to the Israeli targeting of the Hezyaz station south of Sana’a. It had been circulated in September 2023 as a fire at the Al-Mafraz station in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a. 

“Yemen Now” account on “X” platform published the video on 3 September 2023, accompanied by the following description: “A video showing the extent of the fire in a gas warehouse at the Al-Mafraz station in the Aya roundabout in the capital, Sana’a.” 

A massive explosion occurred at the Al-Mafzar station, near the Aya roundabout, northeast of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in early September 2023. The official spokesperson for the Yemen Gas Company stated at the time that “an electrical short circuit in the Yemen Gas Company compound, located after the Aya roundabout, caused a fire,” resulting in the explosion of a gas tanker. 

Local Yemeni media reported that an Israeli attack targeted the Hezyaz power plant in the Sanhan district, south of the capital, Sana’a. Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it targeted energy infrastructure used by the Houthis.