The US military announced on Thursday that it had destroyed a major fuel port in Yemen as part of its operations against the Houthi rebels. Houthi-controlled media reported that the airstrikes killed 38 people. Al Masirah TV stated that 102 people were also injured in the strikes, which targeted the Ras Isa fuel port on Yemen's western coast.

According to the US military, the port was a crucial supply and funding hub for the Houthis, and the strike was aimed at cutting off those resources. The US has warned that it will continue its large-scale military operations in the Middle East, its biggest campaign since Donald Trump became president, unless the Houthis halt their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Since March 15, Washington has been launching almost daily airstrikes against the Houthis to halt their assaults on both civilian and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthi rebels began these attacks in late 2023, claiming they were acting in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as the region continues to endure an intense Israeli military campaign during the ongoing war with Israel.

“US 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 terrorise the entire region for over 10 years,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated. “The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen,” CENTCOM continued.

The military command stated that ships “have continued to supply fuel via the port of Ras Issa” even after the U.S. labelled the rebels a foreign terrorist organisation earlier this year. However, it did not mention where the fuel was coming from. Meanwhile, Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi wrote in a social media post that “13 workers and employees at the Ras Issa port were killed and 30 others injured in the American aggression on the port.”

The port is on Yemen's western coastline, facing the Red Sea. Due to Houthi attacks, ships have been unable to use the Suez Canal, a crucial passage that typically handles around 12% of global shipping. As a result, many companies have had to take a much longer and more expensive route around southern Africa.