US Attack On Yemen's Oil Port Kills 74 People

US/ILUSTRASI military/PHOTO via Instagram @usairforce

JAKARTA - The United States attack on the fuel terminal of Ras Isa in Yemen on the Red Sea coast killed 74 people in the deadliest attack since the US began its bombing military operations against the Houthis last year.

US President Donald Trump ordered an increase in attacks last month in the largest US military operation in the Middle East since he took office in January.

Washington vowed to continue attacking Iran's side of the Houthis until the group halted attacks on shipments in the Red Sea.

Health Ministry spokesman Anees al-Asbahi said 171 people were injured in Thursday's attack, according to preliminary figures. While rescue teams continue to search for victims.

The US military said the attack was aimed at cutting off fuel sources for the Houthi militant group. The port has a large military presence in addition to being the main center for fuel imports, Yemen's sources said.

Among the dead were Safer Oil Company players, who operated the port, and Yemen Petroleum Company, who were responsible for overseeing the delivery of imported fuel and its distribution, the source added.

The US Central Command did not respond to the death toll from the health ministry.

"The purpose of this attack is to weaken the source of Houthi's economic power, which continues to exploit and bring great suffering to its compatriots," he said in a post on X.

The US and Israel previously targeted the port, seeing it as a launch center for drones, missiles, and an attack on ships.

Iran's sided Houthis have controlled much of Yemen over the past decade.

Since November 2023, the group has launched dozens of drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, saying it is targeting ships linked to Israel as a form of solidarity with Palestine over the war in Gaza.

Base Ras Isa, which is about 55 km (35 miles) north of the port city of Hodeidah, has a storage capacity of 3 million barrels.