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Bombing in Ras Isa, carried out against Houthi targets, leaves dozens of workers dead; rebel group denounces offensive as massacre.
The United States military carried out an airstrike on Thursday (17) against the port of Ras Isa, in the north of the Hodeidah province, in Yemen. The location is considered strategic for the flow of oil in the country and, according to the US Military Command in the Middle East (Centcom), serves as a source of financing for the Houthi rebels, a Shiite group supported by Iran.
According to reports from Houthi-linked Al-Masirah, at least 58 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the bombing, most of them port workers. Houthi-controlled Yemeni authorities said rescue operations were continuing at the site.
US justifies attack as targeting Houthi funding sources
US Central Command said the strike was aimed at directly targeting the “economic sources of Houthi power.” According to a statement released after the operation, the rebels have been using revenues from illegal oil exports from the port to fund military operations and attacks in the region.
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“The goal was to deprive the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists of a source of revenue that has been used to terrorize the region for more than a decade,” Centcom said. The U.S. government designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization in early March.
The offensive comes amid an increase in rebel attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, regions considered essential for global maritime trade. Since November 2023, commercial vessels and military that pass through these waters have been targets of missiles and drones launched from Yemen.
US military action sparks international reactions and demonstrations in Yemen
Images released by Al-Masirah showed explosions and clouds of smoke at the port of Ras Isa, described as the “first images of US aggression”. Also on Friday (18), the spokesman for the Houthi Ministry of Health, Anees Alasbahi, said that emergency teams continue to work to remove bodies and fight fires.
The Palestinian movement Hamas also spoke out about the attack, calling it a “blatant aggression” and a violation of Yemeni sovereignty. In a statement, the group said the attack confirms the continuation of “aggressive American policies” in the region.
In response to the bombing, the Houthis called for demonstrations in several cities in Yemen, both in protest against the US and in support of the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip, where Israel has maintained a military offensive since October 2023.
Conflict in Yemen and impact on oil trade
O Yemen, located on the Arabian Peninsula, has been in a civil war since 2014. Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, control large areas of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. The conflict also involves forces allied with the internationally recognized government and a coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
The Ras Isa port is a vital infrastructure for the export of Yemeni oil. With the bombing and damage to the facility, local authorities are warning of possible impacts on the regional economy and fuel distribution.
According to the US, the proceeds from the exploration and sale of oil at the port were being diverted by the Houthis and not used for the benefit of the population. “These hydrocarbons should be legitimately provided to the people of Yemen,” Centcom said.
International coalition expands military presence in the region
As hostilities have escalated, the United States has stepped up military operations in Yemen since March, with President Donald Trump's authorization. The actions have included airstrikes and economic sanctions on local institutions, including the recent blockade of a Yemeni bank accused of financially supporting the Houthis.
In addition to the US, the UK and France are part of a naval coalition aimed at protecting maritime traffic in the Red Sea. On Thursday, a French frigate shot down a drone fired from Yemeni territory, according to French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
The Israeli army also claimed to have intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, reinforcing the complexity of the conflict, which interconnects several regional fronts, including the confrontation between Israel and Hamas.
Source: UOL
