At least 20 people were killed and 50 others injured in US airstrikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port, the Houthi rebel group claimed early Friday. The strikes, part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration since mid-March, were confirmed by the US military’s Central Command but without acknowledgment of casualties.
The Houthis’ al-Masirah TV broadcast graphic footage showing the aftermath, with charred bodies and widespread destruction at the port. According to the rebels, paramedics and civilian workers were among those killed. The attack reportedly triggered a massive explosion and fire, visible on NASA satellite imagery.
US Central Command stated the strikes targeted the Iran-backed Houthis’ fuel resources to cut off funding for what it described as a “decade-long campaign of terror” across the region. “This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen,” the statement added, framing the operation as support for Yemenis “seeking liberation” from Houthi control.
The Ras Isa facility, located in the Hodeida governorate on the Red Sea coast, serves as the terminus of an oil pipeline from Yemen’s Marib region. Despite being a crucial civilian energy hub, it has remained inactive due to the protracted war. The Houthis have used it to import oil amid ongoing sanctions and conflict.
In a strongly worded statement, the Houthis denounced the US operation as “a flagrant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty” and “an unjustified aggression against a civilian facility that has served the people for decades.” The statement was carried by the Houthi-run SABA news agency.
The US State Department had issued a warning earlier this month, cautioning against support for Houthi-controlled ports, including the offloading of oil shipments.
The strike comes amid a sharp escalation in US military operations targeting the Houthis, following the rebels' renewed threats to attack vessels they allege are linked to Israel. Since late 2023, the Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant ships, sunk two, and killed four sailors. They have also attempted—but failed—to hit US Navy vessels.
This latest phase of the US campaign, reportedly more expansive than under the previous Biden administration, has shifted from targeting missile launch sites to striking personnel and infrastructure. The Trump administration has also tied the campaign to broader efforts to pressure Iran over its nuclear activities, signaling no immediate end to the operations.
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