Dozens of people were killed and more than 100 injured after the United States bombed a major oil facility in western Yemen on Friday 18 April, in one of the deadliest strikes since Houthi forces launched attacks on Red Sea shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, according to Houthi media, AFP reported on Friday.
According to Al-Masirah TV, which is closely aligned with Yemen’s Houthi movement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) airstrikes hit the Ras Issa fuel port in Hodeida governorate, killing at least 38 and wounding 102. Footage aired by the outlet showed Red Crescent personnel recovering bodies and evacuating the injured from the rubble.
CENTCOM confirmed the attack but did not address the reported death toll. In a statement, it said: “The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis.”
The US military added that the Ras Issa facility was being used by the Houthis for what it described as “terrorist activities” and alleged that operations at the port were linked to a Chinese satellite firm, though no specific evidence was provided.
The Houthis have carried out dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since late 2023, saying the strikes were in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which resumed on 18 March.
The Houthi movement, backed by Iran, says its attacks are aimed at pressuring Israel and its allies, particularly the United States, to end what it calls a genocide in Gaza.
In response to Houthi threats to shipping routes critical to global trade, the United States has expanded military operations in the region. US President Donald Trump posted a video on Instagram showing footage of the air strikes, calling it a necessary step to protect American interests.
“These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again,” Trump wrote in the caption of the video, which featured explosions on what he claimed were Houthi targets.
The Ras Issa port is strategically significant, acting as the terminus of an oil pipeline originating from Marib, a governorate under the control of Yemen’s exiled government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.
Iran swiftly condemned the US strike, accusing Washington of intensifying violence in the region.
Friday’s attack marks a dramatic escalation in what has become a complex regional conflict involving maritime warfare, geopolitical rivalries, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the casualty figures, and international rights groups have called for an impartial investigation.
