The US military confirmed it carried out deadly airstrikes on Yemen’s Ras Issa fuel port, a facility used by the Huthi rebels, in an effort to cut off their financial and supply lifeline.
According to US Central Command, the port has been a major source of illicit revenue for the Iran-backed Huthi movement, which has conducted frequent attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea since late 2023.
The US said the strike was part of a broader campaign to weaken the Huthis’ ability to disrupt regional security and commerce. “This action targeted a critical economic resource of the Huthi terrorists,” CENTCOM said.
Yemen’s Huthi-controlled health ministry reported at least 20 people were killed, including five paramedics, and around 50 others were wounded, mostly workers at the port. Images from the scene showed intense fires and thick smoke rising over the port.
The Ras Issa port lies along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and has remained operational despite Washington’s recent re-designation of the Huthis as a foreign terrorist organization.
The Huthis began their attacks on shipping in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. Their actions have severely disrupted global shipping, forcing vessels to avoid the Suez Canal and reroute around southern Africa — significantly increasing transit times and costs.
Israel said on Friday it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. Meanwhile, a French warship shot down a Huthi drone over the Red Sea, according to France’s defense ministry.
Adding to the tension, the US accused a Chinese satellite firm, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company, of providing satellite imagery to support the Huthis’ attacks, calling it another sign of Beijing’s duplicity in global peace efforts.
President Donald Trump has vowed to continue military action against the Huthis until their threat to maritime shipping is fully eliminated.