At least 38 people were killed and 102 others injured in U.S. airstrikes on Yemen
The reported death toll marks one of the deadliest U.S. military attacks on Yemen to date
At least 38 people were killed and 102 wounded in U.S. air strikes targeting Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port, in what Houthi-affiliated media describe as one of the deadliest American attacks on the country to date.
According to Al Masirah TV, the strikes carried out on Thursday were concentrated around the Ras Isa facility, citing data from the Hodeidah Health Office. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation, stating the strikes aimed to cripple a key source of revenue and fuel for the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
“Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists,” CENTCOM said in a social media post. “The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis.”
The Pentagon has so far declined to comment on the rising civilian death toll when contacted by Reuters.
Al Jazeera’s reporter Mohammed al-Attab said several areas were struck, with the most intense bombardment occurring around the port itself. “The first four air raids hit while people were at work,” he noted, adding that truck drivers and port staff were caught off guard by the assault. He also reported widespread outrage across Yemen, not only due to the high civilian casualties but also because of the port’s critical role in sustaining the country's economy.
Ras Isa, along with Hodeidah and as-Salif, handles around 70 percent of Yemen’s imports and 80 percent of humanitarian aid, highlighting the strategic and humanitarian importance of the targeted area.
Video footage released by Al Masirah TV early Friday showed massive nighttime explosions over the water near Ras Isa, followed by scenes of fire, rubble, and casualties. The network’s caption referred to the strike as a “crime of aggression,” highlighting the toll on civilian workers.
Other videos posted on social media showed injured and burned port workers being interviewed, underscoring the human cost of the attack. The latest air strikes are among the deadliest since the U.S. began targeting Houthi positions in what has become its most expansive military campaign in the Middle East since Donald Trump’s presidency. In a separate incident this past March, U.S. strikes reportedly killed over 50 people.
Ras Isa houses a major oil pipeline and terminal considered “critical and irreplaceable infrastructure” by the United Nations Development Programme.
Emergency crews, including the Yemeni Red Crescent and civil defense forces, have been deployed to the site to assist survivors and contain fires. Houthi official Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi condemned the attack, vowing it would not weaken Yemeni solidarity with Gaza but instead strengthen their resolve.
Just hours after the Ras Isa assault, Israel’s military reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on vessels they claim are connected to Israel, citing retaliation for Israel’s war on Gaza. In response, Washington has vowed to continue military operations until the Houthis halt their assaults on Red Sea shipping routes.
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