US airstrikes target Yemeni oil port; Houthis claim 20 people killed
This death poll could be the highest in any US airstrike on Houthis since the newly launched campaign against them came into action on March 15.
Around 20 people were killed and over 50 injured in the United States airstrikes that hit an oil port, called Ras Isa, which is held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, reported Associated Press, citing the group. The US Central Command confirmed the strike, however, they did not share the exact death toll.
This death toll could be the highest in any US airstrike on Houthis since the newly launched campaign against them by US President Donald Trump came into action on March 15.
The campaign is aimed at weakening the Iran-backed rebel group that has attacked several US ships trying to cross the Red Sea ever since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023.
The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel aired graphic footage of the aftermath of the attack, showing corpses strewn across the site, the AP report said.
Several videos of the attack and its aftermath Ras Isa port at are making rounds on social media, showing huge fire and cloud of smoke emerging from the port. HT.com couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
What the US Central Command said
Through a post on X (formerly Twitter), the US Central Command confirmed the strike but shied away from sharing any information about reported casualties. In a post titled ‘Destruction of Houthi Controlled Ras Isa Fuel Port’, US Central Command said that the action was taken to rob the Houthis of their illegal revenue source by eliminating the source of fuel.
Providing some background to Houthis and how they depend on oil imports for revenue, the US Central Command said, “The Houthis have continued to benefit economically and militarily from countries and companies that provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The Iran-backed Houthis use fuel to sustain their military operations, as a weapon of control, and to benefit economically from embezzling the profits from the import. This fuel should be legitimately supplied to the people of Yemen. Despite the Foreign Terrorist Designation that went into effect on 05 April, ships have continued to supply fuel via the port of Ras Isa. Profits from these illegal sales are directly funding and sustaining Houthi terrorist efforts.”
The US Central Command, which leads America’s military operations in the middle-east, said that the strike was aimed at getting rid of this revenue streak for Houthis. “Today, US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years,” it said in the post.
It also added that the strike did not mean to harm the people of Yemen but to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis.
With AP inputs.
