Death toll rises to 58 after US attack on Yemen's key energy facility

The death toll from recent US airstrikes on a fuel port in Yemen has climbed by at least 58, according to the health ministry of the Houthis.

The strikes targeted the Ras Isa oil terminal, a key energy facility in the war-torn country, with initial reports indicating that 58 workers were killed and 102 others wounded, Caliber.Az reports, citing Yemeni media.

The attack, carried out by the US military overnight, was intended to disrupt the Houthi supply chains and their financial resources, which are vital for the group’s control over large swathes of territory in Yemen.

The Pentagon confirmed the operation, stating that the goal was to sever the flow of supplies to the Houthi fighters, who continue to hold significant influence in the region.

Note that, US warplanes launched 14 airstrikes on the Ras Issa oil port in Hodeidah, Yemen, on April 17 night, causing significant casualties. The port, a key facility for oil imports, was struck while workers were present, with further strikes occurring during rescue operations. Many victims suffered severe burns and trauma.

Rights groups, including the Center for Human Rights and the Insan Organization for Rights and Freedoms, condemned the attack as a war crime and a violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions. The groups called for an independent investigation and accountability for those responsible. They also criticized the US's ongoing military campaign in Yemen, which began in March 2025 following Yemen’s retaliatory strikes on Israel.

Washington claims the strikes aim to protect navigation routes near Yemen's waters, but Yemeni authorities assert their operations target Israeli-linked vessels, not international shipping. The continued escalation has worsened the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, drawing widespread condemnation.

By Aghakazim Guliyev