DE Online Desk :
At least 74 people were killed and more than 170 wounded in a US airstrike on a fuel terminal in Yemen, Huthi officials said on Friday.
The strike targeted the Ras Issa port on the Red Sea and marks the deadliest episode in Washington’s recent military campaign against the Iran-backed group.
According to Huthi health ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi, the casualties are not yet final as rescue efforts continue.
The figures have not been independently verified.
The US military confirmed the strike, stating it aimed to dismantle a major supply and funding channel for the Huthis, who control significant portions of Yemen.
The port, CENTCOM said, was continuing to receive fuel shipments despite the group being designated a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.
“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,” said a statement from United States Central Command.
Images broadcast on the Huthi-run Al-Masirah TV showed fires raging at the strike site and interviews with injured survivors.
One man described the chaos: “We ran away. The strikes came one after another, then everything was on fire.”
The airstrikes triggered protests across Huthi-controlled areas on Friday, including Saada, Dhamar, Amran, and the capital Sanaa.
Protesters chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans in response to the attack.
Military analyst Mohammed Albasha, based in the US, noted that the strikes sent a clear message to Iran amid rising regional tensions.
“The US is targeting not only Huthi military assets and personnel, but also their economic infrastructure,” he said.
Iran condemned the strikes as “barbaric,” while Hamas called them “blatant aggression.”
Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Huthis have launched multiple attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and Israeli targets, citing solidarity with Palestinians.
A two-month ceasefire briefly paused these operations, but threats to resume attacks have reignited tensions.
In a related development, Israel reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen on Friday, which triggered alerts across multiple regions.
Meanwhile, the US accused a Chinese satellite firm of aiding the Huthis.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company had “directly supported” attacks on US interests by allegedly providing satellite imagery to the rebel group.
The ongoing Huthi disruptions to Red Sea shipping have severely impacted global trade, forcing vessels to reroute around southern Africa, increasing costs and delivery times.