Deadly US Strikes Hit Yemen Port Used By Houthis, 20 Killed, 50 Injured

The US military said it had destroyed a key Yemeni fuel port as it targets the country's Houthi rebels, who said Friday that 20 people had been killed in the strikes. The attack on the Ras Issa fuel port aimed to cut off a source of supplies and funds for the Iran-backed Houthis, the US military said. Washington has hammered the Houthis with near-daily air strikes since March 15 in a bid to end their attacks on civilian shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The rebels began their attacks in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

"US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Huthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Huthi efforts to terrorise the entire region for over 10 years," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

"The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Huthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen," CENTCOM said.