The U.S. launched an airstrike on Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port Thursday, an attack that, according to the Houthis, killed 74 people. The strike is part of the Trump administration’s ongoing military campaign against the Iran-backed rebel group, which was re-designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2024 following its attacks in the Red Sea.
-
Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-controlled health ministry, announced on X that the death toll had reached 74, with over 170 people injured. Rescue teams are still working to locate the missing and identify the deceased.
-
In a post on X, U.S. Central Command confirmed the strike, saying the goal was to “degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis” by eliminating a key fuel hub used to generate illegal revenue.
-
Ras Isa port had previously come under Israeli attack in December and January. The U.S. considers it a critical launch point for Houthi assaults on shipping and a key site for importing fuel, Reuters reported.
-
Thursday’s attack marked the deadliest military operation since President Trump ordered strikes on Houthi targets in March, Associated Press reported.
Why Did the U.S. Strike Yemen?
On March 15, President Trump authorized significant airstrikes against Houthi forces, marking a major military move in his second term. In a social media post, Trump blamed the Houthis’ “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism”—mainly targeting ships in the Red Sea in support of Hamas during its war with Israel.
Trump vowed that these attacks “will not be tolerated,” promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the U.S. met its objectives. He also criticized former President Biden for a “pathetically weak” response, claiming it enabled the Houthis to continue their campaign.
The Houthis, an Iran-aligned Shiite militant group, took control of Yemen’s capital in 2014. Trump designated them a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) late in his first term, drawing criticism due to the restrictions it placed on humanitarian aid. Biden reversed the designation, but reinstated it in January 2024 after the Houthis began attacking Red Sea shipping in late 2023. U.S. airstrikes have followed.
-
Hamas condemned the strike through Yemen’s SABA news agency, calling it “a full-fledged war crime” and expressing solidarity with Yemenis after “dozens of civilians” were reportedly killed.
-
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, labeled the strike “an example of aggressive crime” and a “blatant violation of the U.N. Charter,” CBS News reported.
