At least 38 individuals have been reported dead due to US airstrikes on a Yemeni fuel port, according to Houthi rebels, marking one of the most lethal attacks in Washington’s escalated efforts against the Iran-backed faction.
More than 100 others suffered injuries, as reported by a Houthi-operated television channel that aired footage depicting large fires illuminating the night sky.
The US military stated that its overnight operation at the Ras Issa fuel port was intended to sever a significant source of supplies and funding for the Houthis, who govern large regions of Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula.
“The preliminary toll from the US aggression on the Ras Issa oil facility includes 38 workers and employees killed, and 102 others injured,” Al-Masirah TV cited health officials from the rebel-controlled Hodeida.
Since March 15, the US military has conducted near-daily airstrikes against the Houthis, aiming to put an end to their assaults on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In a bid to express solidarity with Palestinians, the rebels commenced strikes on crucial maritime routes and Israel following the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023 but paused their attacks during a recent two-month ceasefire.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement saying, “US forces acted to eliminate this fuel source for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, depriving them of illegal funding that has supported Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for more than a decade.”
“These strikes aim to undermine the economic power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and inflict significant suffering upon their compatriots.”
Despite the US designating the rebels as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year, ships “have continued to supply fuel via the port of Ras Issa,” CENTCOM noted, although it did not specify the fuel’s source.
‘Everything was ablaze’
Footage aired by Al-Masirah showed a fireball erupting offshore, with thick smoke billowing from what appeared to be a raging fire.
The Houthi TV outlet subsequently broadcast interviews with attack survivors lying on stretchers, including one individual with burns on his arms.
“We fled. The strikes happened in quick succession, then everything was ablaze,” recounted a man who claimed to work at the port to Al-Masirah.
The US strikes against the Houthis began during former President Joe Biden’s administration but have resumed and escalated under President Donald Trump.
This latest wave of attacks follows Houthi threats to recommence drone and missile strikes on international shipping as a form of protest against Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza.
Israel halted all supplies to Gaza in early March and resumed its military offensive in the Palestinian territory on March 18, effectively shattering the ceasefire.
The Israeli military has reported intercepting an incoming missile from Yemen, which activated alarms in “several areas.”
‘Commitment to maritime freedom’
Houthi assaults have caused disruptions in shipping through the Suez Canal—a crucial route that typically accommodates around 12% of global shipping traffic—resulting in numerous companies opting for costly detours around the southern tip of Africa.
President Trump has pledged that military actions against the rebels will persist until they no longer pose a threat to shipping.
France’s Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that a French frigate in the Red Sea recently destroyed a drone launched from Yemen.
“Our armed forces remain dedicated to ensuring the freedom of maritime movement,” he expressed on X.
Additionally, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated that the Chinese satellite firm Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company was “directly supporting Iran-backed Houthi terrorist attacks on US interests.”
“Their actions—and Beijing’s backing of the company, even after our private engagements with them—illustrate yet another instance of China’s hollow claims to advocate for peace,” she commented.
Initially, Ms. Bruce did not disclose the specifics of the company’s support for the rebels but later mentioned “a Chinese company providing satellite images to the Houthis.”
