Sanaa, Yemen – US airstrikes on a critical fuel port in Yemen killed at least 80 people Thursday, according to Houthi rebels, in what the group calls the deadliest single attack since Washington launched its campaign against the Iran-backed movement 15 months ago.
The strikes targeted the Ras Issa terminal, a vital Houthi-controlled facility on the Red Sea, which the US military said was used to funnel supplies and revenue to the rebels. Footage aired by Houthi-run media showed massive fires engulfing the site overnight.
Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said rescue teams were still recovering bodies from the blast, warning the death toll could rise. The rebels’ Al-Masirah TV later reported the toll had climbed to 80 dead and 150 wounded, citing local officials.
The attack triggered protests across Houthi-held territories, including the capital, Sanaa, where crowds chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree vowed retaliation, telling demonstrators, “Continued aggression will only bring more confrontations.”
The strikes mark an escalation in the US-led campaign against the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen after nearly a decade of war with a Saudi-backed coalition. Washington has intensified operations under President Joe Biden, aiming to disrupt the group’s weapons smuggling and maritime attacks.
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