ADEN/WASHINGTON. At least 74 people were killed in U.S. airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa fuel terminal on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, marking the deadliest attack since Washington began its military campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthi group last year, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.
Thursday’s airstrike also left 171 people injured, with numbers expected to rise as rescue teams continue to search the site for survivors. “Efforts are still ongoing to find more victims,” said Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the health ministry.
The strikes come as part of a broader military escalation ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, who last month approved intensified operations against the Houthis in response to their continued assaults on international shipping in the Red Sea. Washington has pledged to sustain pressure on the group until it ceases attacks on commercial vessels.
The U.S. military said the latest strike was aimed at disrupting the Houthis’ economic capabilities, specifically by hitting one of their major sources of fuel revenue. “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 posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Local Yemeni sources said the Ras Isa terminal, located about 55 kilometers north of the port city of Hodeidah, serves as a strategic fuel import hub with a storage capacity of 3 million barrels. It is also heavily militarized. Among those killed were employees of Safer Oil Company, which operates the terminal, and Yemen Petroleum Company, which manages fuel imports and distribution.
Though U.S. Central Command has yet to confirm the number of casualties, this strike surpasses the death toll from previous attacks. In March, similar strikes reportedly killed over 50 individuals, according to Houthi officials.
The United States and Israel have previously targeted Ras Isa, claiming the site is used to launch drones, missiles, and naval attacks. The Houthis, who control significant territory in Yemen, have launched dozens of missile and drone strikes on Red Sea shipping since November 2023, asserting they are targeting vessels linked to Israel in protest against the war in Gaza.
Fuel import taxes from ports like Ras Isa reportedly generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the Houthi-controlled administration.
While the group halted its maritime attacks during a recent two-month ceasefire in Gaza, Houthi leaders vowed to resume operations following Israel’s renewed assault on the enclave last month. However, no new attacks have been recorded in the Red Sea since then.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
