Cliff Notes

Airstrikes Result in High Casualty Figures: U.S. airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa oil port controlled by Yemen’s Houthi rebels resulted in 20 fatalities and 50 injuries, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing military campaign initiated under President Trump.
Purpose of Strikes Confirmed: The U.S. Central Command confirmed the strikes were aimed at eliminating a critical source of fuel funding for the Iran-backed Houthis. The statement attempted to clarify that the intent was not to harm Yemeni civilians who are struggling under Houthi control.
Escalating Military Campaign: The recent airstrikes are part of an intensified U.S. operation against Houthi military infrastructure. This follows the Houthis’ threats to target vessels they class as “Israeli” in response to Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza, and the strikes reflect a shift in U.S. tactics under the current administration, moving beyond reactive measures to more proactive military engagement.

US airstrikes targeting a Yemeni oil port killed 20 people, Houthis say

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa oil port held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed 20 people and wounded 50 others, the group said early Friday.

The strikes, confirmed by the U.S. military’s Central Command, represent one of the highest death tolls so far in the campaign launched under President Donald Trump that has involved hundreds of strikes since March 15.

The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel aired graphic footage of the aftermath of the attack, showing corpses strewn across the site. It claimed paramedic and civilians workers at the port had been killed in the attack, which sparked a massive explosion and fires.

In a statement, Central Command said that “U.S. 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.”

“This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully,” it added. It did not acknowledge any casualties.

On April 9, the U.S. State Department issued a warning about oil shipments to Yemen.

“The United States will not tolerate any country or commercial entity providing support to foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Houthis, including offloading ships and provisioning oil at Houthi-controlled ports,” it said.

US strikes come as part of monthlong intense campaign

An Associated Press review has found the new U.S. operation against the Houthis under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than that under former President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.

The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.

The U.S. campaign shows no signs of stopping, as the Trump administration has also linked its airstrikes on the Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.