American air attacks on a key oil terminal on the Red Sea coast of Yemen controlled by the Houthi movement have killed at least 74 people and injured 171 more people, according to Houthi’s Ministry of Health.
The US military said that it had destroyed Ras Isa « to eliminate this fuel source for Houthi terrorists supported by Iran and deprive them of illegal income. »
The government led by Huthi in the northwest of Yemen said that the terminal was a civil installation and that the strikes were a « war crime ».
It was the most deadly attack known since President Donald Trump ordered an intensification of the U.S. bombing campaign last month in response to Houthi’s attacks on the red Sea and Israel -linked to the Gaza War.
Several hours after Ras Isa’s strikes, the Israeli military said he had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
The sirens sounded in several Israeli areas, but there were no reports of victims or damage.
Highi’s TV al-Masirah reported that 14 aerial attacks affected Ras Isa on Thursday.
Videos published online allegedly showed various explosions, large fires and destroyed fuel tankers at the installation, which is about 60 km (35 miles) north of Hudayday’s Red Sea city.
« We fled. The strikes came one after the other, and everything was lit, » said a man who said he worked there on the channel.
On Thursday afternoon, Huthi Ministry of Health spokesman Anees al-Asbahi said that the number of deaths had reached 74 years, adding that rescue teams were still seeking victims.
Al-Masirah had previously cited local health authorities saying that many of the dead were Ras Isa workers. He also reported that five paramedics were killed in the United States’ secondary strikes when they reached the scene.
Victim reports could not be verified immediately, but Al-Masirah’s graphic images seemed to show at least 10 carbonized bodies near the tank trucks, including a driver, as well as the men who were treated by serious burns in the hospital.
« We say that the orientation of the Port of Ras Isa oil is a crime of full war, as the port is a civil and non -military installation, » the Houthi government said in a statement.
« We make the North -American Administration fully responsible for the consequences of its climb on the Red Sea, » he warned.
The central command of the North military -Americans said in a statement that « the purpose of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of Houthis power, which continue to exploit and bring great pain to their companions countrymen. »
« Houthis, Iranian teachers and those who help and make their terrorist actions notice that the world will not accept the illicit smuggling of fuel and war material for a terrorist organization, » he added.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he strongly condemned the strikes as « barbarians. »
On Thursday, Houthis leader gave a challenging speech stating that recent United States strikes could not stop their attacks.
Abdul Malik Al-Ahuthi said that the group’s forces had performed almost 80 operations involving around 170 missiles and drones since mid-March, including 30 United States aircraft carrier attacks USS Harry s truman and 26 attacks on Israel.
Yemen has been devastated by a civil war that was climbed ten years ago, when the Hathis took control of the northwestern country of internationally recognized government and a Saudi-led coalition supported by the United States, involved an effort to restore its government.
The fighting has left more than 150,000 dead people and have triggered a humanitarian disaster, with 4.8 million displaced people and 19.5 million (half of the population) who need some form of help.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have pointed dozens of merchants with missiles, drones and small boat attacks on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Two ships have sunk, one third have been taken and four crew members have been killed.
Houthis have said they are in support of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and have often stated falsely, that they are aimed at ships only linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom.
The Houthis were not dissuaded by the deployment of western war vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial vessels last year, nor in several rounds of the North -Americans on military goals ordered by former President Joe Biden.
After taking office in January, Trump redesigned the Houthis as « foreign terrorist organization », which the Biden administration had taken away from what he said was the need to mitigate the country’s humanitarian crisis.
Last month, Trump ordered large -scale strikes in the houthis -controlled areas and threatened to be « completely annihilated ». He also warned Iran that the group did not fit, which he has repeatedly denied to do it.
Authorities headed to Houthi have said that strikes have killed dozens of civilians in recent weeks, but have reported few victims among members of the group.
Earlier this month, Trump posted a black and white video of a plane showing a strike aimed at about 70 people gathered in a circle who identified as Houthis. But the Saba News Agency, directed by Huthi, cited a source that said it was « a social visit » to the province of Hudaydah.
Israel has also made aerial attacks on Hathis since July in retaliation for the hundreds of missiles and drones that the Israeli military say they have been launched in the country since Yemen, most of which have been shot.
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