ADEN/WASHINGTON — At least 74 people were killed and 171 others injured after U.S. airstrikes targeted Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel terminal on the Red Sea coast, in what Houthi officials described as the deadliest attack since Washington began its military campaign against the group last year.
The strike, carried out Thursday, hit a key fuel facility used by the Iran-aligned Houthis and came amid a broader escalation ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump last month — the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since he took office in January.
According to Yemen’s Houthi-run Health Ministry, rescue operations are ongoing as emergency crews continue to search for victims in the rubble. The U.S. military has confirmed the strike but has not commented on the reported death toll.
“The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement posted on X.
The Ras Isa terminal, located around 55 kilometers north of the port city of Hodeidah, has a fuel storage capacity of 3 million barrels and plays a critical role in Yemen’s fuel imports and distribution. Yemeni sources said the port also houses a significant military presence and has been previously used for launching drone and missile attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Among the dead were employees of the Safer Oil Company and the Yemen Petroleum Company, which manage operations and oversee the distribution of fuel in the region.
The U.S. has accused the Houthis of using Yemen’s ports — including Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif — to funnel illicit fuel trade and finance militant operations. CENTCOM stated the strikes were intended to dismantle these financial networks and diminish the Houthis’ military capabilities in the Red Sea.
While the U.N. estimates these ports handle 70% of Yemen’s imports and 80% of its humanitarian aid, the U.S. and its allies argue that the Houthis’ control over them has enabled the group to smuggle Iranian weapons and fund terrorism.
In a statement, the Houthis condemned the attack as a “flagrant violation” of Yemen’s sovereignty and international law. “This was a civilian installation vital to the Yemeni people,” a Houthi spokesperson said, accusing Washington of retaliating against Yemen’s support for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government, however, blamed the Houthis for militarizing the port, accusing the group of enriching themselves through illegal trade while ordinary citizens suffer.
“The militia has exploited the port for illicit trade and to enrich themselves while ordinary Yemenis have seen no benefit,” said Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani.
Thursday’s strike follows weeks of intensified U.S. operations in response to repeated Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. Though the Houthis paused their attacks during a recent ceasefire in Gaza, they vowed to resume operations after Israeli forces renewed their offensive in the enclave.
According to Houthi officials, nearly 100 civilians have died in U.S. bombings over the past month alone. Yemen’s Red Crescent has confirmed the latest death toll and said teams are still working to extinguish fires and recover bodies from the heavily damaged terminal.
CENTCOM reiterated that all operations are conducted with the intent to avoid civilian harm, asserting that Thursday’s strike specifically targeted infrastructure supporting Houthi military activity.
As tensions escalate in the region, analysts warn that the growing U.S. military footprint and deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen risk further destabilizing the fragile Red Sea corridor — a vital artery for global trade.
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