At least 74 people have been killed and over 170 wounded in a U.S. airstrike on a Yemeni fuel port, according to Yemen’s Houthi group on Friday. The attack on the Ras Issa fuel terminal on the Red Sea marks the deadliest event in Washington’s bombing campaign on Houthi-controlled territories.
The U.S. military stated that the strike aimed to cut off a source of supplies and funds for the Houthis, who have been in conflict with the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The attack comes amid an intense wave of airstrikes ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, just ahead of scheduled nuclear negotiations with Iran in Rome on Saturday.
Footage aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV early Friday showed a large fireball illuminating the night sky, with thick smoke plumes rising above what appeared to be an ongoing blaze at the port. The attack has sparked protests across the region, with demonstrators condemning the escalation of violence.
In a related development, Israel’s military reported intercepting an incoming missile from Yemen on Friday, triggering sirens in several areas. This incident follows a statement by President Trump in mid-March, ordering “decisive and powerful military action” against the Houthis after they announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, citing Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza as their motivation.
