Central Command stated the operation was aimed at cutting off a key fuel and revenue source for the Iran-backed Houthis. The US military did not confirm any casualties and declined to comment on reports of civilian deaths.
Graphic footage aired by Houthi-run media claimed that paramedics and civilian workers were among the dead. The Houthis condemned the strike as an attack on Yemen’s sovereignty and a civilian facility serving the people for decades.
The Ras Isa port has long been a strategic site for importing oil amid Yemen’s prolonged civil war and halt in exports. The US State Department recently warned countries and companies against supporting oil shipments to Houthi-controlled ports.
The Houthis later launched a missile at Israel in retaliation, which was intercepted by Israeli forces, sounding alarms in Tel Aviv. The US also accused a Chinese satellite firm, CGSTL, of providing imagery used by the Houthis in attacks, including on US interests.
This current campaign appears more expansive than previous efforts, now targeting leadership figures and infrastructure, not just missile sites. The airstrikes are part of a broader pressure strategy on Iran, tied to upcoming US-Iran nuclear negotiations scheduled in Rome.
