This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/18/scores-killed-in-us-strikes-on-yemen-fuel-port-of-ras-isa-houthi-media-says

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Scores killed in US strikes on Yemen fuel port of Ras Isa, Houthi media says Scores killed in US strikes on Yemen fuel port of Ras Isa, Houthi officials say
(32 minutes later)
Al-Masirah TV reports at least 74 dead in attack Washington says was intended to cut off source of fuel to militants Health ministry reports at least 74 dead in attack that US says was intended to cut off source of fuel to militants
US military strikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port have killed at least 74 people including civilians and rescue workers, according to the Houthi-run health ministry, in the deadliest attack since Washington launched its campaign against the Iran-backed militants.US military strikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port have killed at least 74 people including civilians and rescue workers, according to the Houthi-run health ministry, in the deadliest attack since Washington launched its campaign against the Iran-backed militants.
Health ministry spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi also said 171 people were injured in Thursday’s strikes amid continuing efforts to search for victims. The health ministry spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi also said 171 people were injured in the strikes, amid continuing efforts to search for victims.
“The death toll has risen to 74 martyrs and 171 wounded in a non-final count,” Houthi health ministry spokesman Alasbahi said. “The death toll has risen to 74 martyrs and 171 wounded in a non-final count,” Asbahi said.
Some analysts see the scale of the attack, and the nature of the target – a major economic site in the country – as aimed at sending a message to Tehran in the midst of mounting pressure on Iran from the Trump administration over its nuclear programme. Some analysts see the scale of the attack and the nature of the target – a major economic site in the country – as aimed at sending a message to Tehran in the midst of mounting pressure on Iran from the Trump administration over its nuclear programme.
While US president Donald Trump has threatened to “annihilate” Yemen’s Houthis, the group remains intact despite the ongoing US air campaign, amid deep scepticism from experts over whether Trump’s military policy is achievable. While Donald Trump has threatened to “annihilate” Yemen’s Houthis, the group remains intact despite the ongoing US air campaign, amid deep scepticism from experts over whether Trump’s military policy is achievable.
In the immediate aftermath of the US strikes a Houthi official vowed on Friday to hit back, announcing the group had targeted two US aircraft carriers and Israel following the deadliest American strikes on Yemen in more than a year. In the immediate aftermath of the US strikes, a Houthi official vowed to hit back, announcing that the group had targeted two US aircraft carriers and a military site near Israel’s main airport.
“The American military buildup and continued aggression against our country will only lead to more counter-attack and attack operations, clashes and confrontations,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree told a rebel-organised protest in the capital Sanaa. “The American military buildup and continued aggression against our country will only lead to more counterattack and attack operations, clashes and confrontations,” the Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree told a rebel-organised protest in the capital, Sana’a.
He added the group had targeted a military site near Israel’s main airport and two US aircraft carriers. That claim could not immediately be confirmed. The US strikes hit several areas but were mostly concentrated around the port facility, where the dead included truck drivers and emergency responders.
The US strikes, launched early on Friday, hit several different areas, but were mostly concentrated around the port facility where raids caught employees by surprise, with the dead including truck drivers who were on the scene at the time and also emergency responders. Video footage from the port, posted by the Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah TV on social media in the early hours of Friday, showed massive explosions and bodies strewn across the site.
Video footage from the port, posted by the Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah TV on social media in the early hours of Friday morning showed massive explosions and bodies strewn across the site. The TV station later screened interviews with survivors lying on stretchers, including one man with burns on his arms. “We ran away. The strikes came one after the other, then everything was on fire,” a man who said he worked at the port told al-Masirah.
The TV station later screened interviews with survivors lying on stretchers, including one man with burns on his arms. Ras Isa terminal has a storage capacity of 3m barrels and was the first port built for oil exports from Yemen, about 40 years ago.
“We ran away. The strikes came one after the other, then everything was on fire,” a man who said he worked at the port told al-Masirah. A Nasa satellite system that monitors fires picked up an intense blaze early on Friday morning at the site just off Kamaran Island.
Ras Isa terminal has a storage capacity of 3m barrels and was the first port built for oil exports from Yemen, around 40 years ago. A NASA satellite system that monitors fires picked up an intense blaze early Friday morning at the site just off Kamaran Island, comprising three large oil tanks and refining equipment. In a statement posted on social media, US Central Command said: “US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorise the entire region for over 10 years.
In a statement posted on social media, US Central Command said: “US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorise the entire region for over 10 years.”
“This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully.”“This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully.”
The US has vowed to keep attacking Yemen’s Houthis, in its biggest military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January, unless the Houthis cease attacks on Red Sea shipping. The US has vowed to keep attacking Yemen’s Houthis, in its biggest military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office in January, unless the Houthis cease attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Asked for comment on the Houthis’ casualty figure and its own estimate, US Central Command said it had none beyond the initial announcement of the attacks.Asked for comment on the Houthis’ casualty figure and its own estimate, US Central Command said it had none beyond the initial announcement of the attacks.
Iran called the latest US strikes “barbaric”, while Palestinian militants Hamas denounced them as “blatant aggression”. Iran called the US strikes “barbaric”, while the Palestinian militants Hamas denounced them as “blatant aggression”.
The latest US campaign was triggered by Houthi threats to resume attacks on international shipping in protest at Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip.The latest US campaign was triggered by Houthi threats to resume attacks on international shipping in protest at Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel in protest over the war in Gaza.The Houthis have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel in protest over the war in Gaza.
Early on Friday and just hours after the US attack, Israel’s military said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. Early on Friday, hours after the US attack, Israel’s military said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
A recent expert analysis for the Atlantic Council was dubious about the practicality of US war aims in Yemen. Recent expert analysis for the Atlantic Council was dubious about the practicality of US war aims in Yemen. “The United States’ ability to track [Abdel Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis’ leader] is likely hindered by limited intelligence on the ground in Yemen. This reality was echoed early last year when the US had difficulty assessing the success of its operations and the group’s full arsenal due to a lack of intelligence,” it said.
“The United States’ ability to track al-Houthi is likely hindered by limited intelligence on the ground in Yemen. This reality was echoed early last year when the US had difficulty assessing the success of its operations and the group’s full arsenal due to a lack of intelligence.
“Without a reliable presence or informant network, targeting such a well-hidden leader will prove challenging.”“Without a reliable presence or informant network, targeting such a well-hidden leader will prove challenging.”
The Trump administration’s clumsy handling of the enlarged US campaign against the Houthis in Yemen was already mired in controversy before Friday’s large death toll, when details of the initial attack plan were discussed by senior Trump officials on an unsecured chat service to which a journalist had been invited to join. The Trump administration’s clumsy handling of the enlarged US campaign against the Houthis was already mired in controversy before Friday’s large death toll, after details of the initial attack plan were discussed by senior Trump officials on an unsecured chat service to which a journalist had been invited to join.