Deadly US Airstrikes in Yemen: 74 Killed, Over 170 Injured in Attack on Oil Facility

In a devastating turn of events, at least 74 people were killed and 171 injured after US airstrikes hit an oil terminal on Yemen's Red Sea coast, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. The targeted site, Ras Isa, is controlled by the Houthi group, BBC reported.

The US military confirmed the attack, stating it aimed to destroy the terminal to cut off fuel supplies and illegal revenue for the Iran-backed Houthis, who are listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Trump administration.

However, Houthi leaders strongly denied, calling the terminal a civilian facility and accusing the US of committing a war crime. They said many of the victims were workers and even first responders who were killed in follow-up strikes while trying to rescue the injured.

Eyewitnesses described chaos and panic. “We ran away. The strikes came one after the other, then everything was on fire,” one survivor told Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.

Videos from the scene showed burning fuel tankers and charred bodies, while hospitals treated dozens of burn victims.

In reaction, thousands of Houthi supporters protested in the capital, Sanaa, blaming the US and demanding justice.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen hours after the Ras Isa attack. No injuries or damage were reported.

The US military defended its actions, saying the strikes aimed to weaken the Houthi's economic base and prevent future attacks in the Red Sea region. Houthis have launched dozens of drone and missile strikes on ships and Israel in recent months, claiming to support Palestinians in the war in Gaza.

The war in Yemen, which started in 2014, has already caused immense suffering — with over 150,000 deaths and millions in need of aid. Despite earlier Western strikes, the Houthis have continued their operations, now with more deadly consequences.

Iran, a key backer of the Houthis, called the US strikes “barbaric,” while US President Donald Trump has vowed to continue the military campaign, threatening to “completely annihilate” the group.

As the violence escalates, civilians remain the biggest victims, with no sign of peace on the horizon.