Washington DC, (EFE).- United States forces bombed the vital oil port of Ras Issa on Yemen’s Red Sea coast on Thursday, an installation controlled by Houthi rebels and critical for the country’s imports and humanitarian aid, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Al Masirah TV, the Houthi-run broadcaster, reported a series of American airstrikes on the facility, located in the province of Al Hudaydah.
CENTCOM later confirmed the operation, stating that the goal was to dismantle the Houthis’ financial networks that support their military operations in the Red Sea.
According to the United Nations, Ras Issa, along with Al Hudaydah and Salif ports, handles about 70% of Yemen’s imports and 80% of its humanitarian aid.
However, Washington and its allies have accused the Houthis of using these facilities for illicit fuel trade to fund their operations.
“The Houthis have continued to profit economically and militarily from illicit oil shipments, despite being designated as a foreign terrorist organization,” CENTCOM said.
Civilian deaths a spark accusation of war crimes
The Houthi movement condemned the US strike as a “war crime,” reporting at least 17 workers killed and dozens injured.
Yemen’s Red Crescent confirmed the death toll, with rescue teams working to extinguish fires and retrieve survivors from the heavily damaged port.
In a statement, the Houthis denounced the strike as an attack on a “civilian installation vital to the Yemeni people,” and accused Washington of trying to punish Yemen for supporting Palestinians amid the Israel-Gaza conflict.
They argued that Ras Issa is a civilian facility, not a military one and that the bombing violated Yemen’s sovereignty and international law.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognized government placed responsibility on the Houthis, accusing them of turning Ras Issa into a hub for smuggling Iranian weapons and financing terrorism.
“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.
Escalating US campaign raises tensions in the Red Sea
Thursday’s strike is part of an ongoing US campaign of intensified airstrikes against Houthi targets, ordered by President Donald Trump in March.
The mission aims to degrade the Houthis’ ability to attack commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea, a strategic area for global trade.
Despite the campaign, the Houthis have continued to launch missile and drone attacks against US Navy vessels and Israeli targets.
Houthi leaders claim that nearly 100 civilians have died as a result of US bombings over the past month.
CENTCOM insisted that the US operations are designed to minimize harm to civilians, stating that the latest strike was meant to “undermine the Houthis’ economic power” without impacting Yemen’s general population.
However, civilian casualties could fuel anti-American sentiment and complicate efforts to secure the Red Sea, analysts warn.
Washington has also emphasized that the world “will not accept the illicit smuggling of fuel and weapons to a terrorist organization,” a clear message to Iran and other countries allegedly backing the Houthis. EFE
int-seo
