U.S. forces on Thursday hit a major fuel port in western Yemen used to supply Houthi rebels, the first such airstrike publicly announced since Washington began an air campaign against the militant group in March.
“Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue,” read a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
The command said it targeted and destroyed the port of Ras Isa, a primary oil terminal on the Red Sea coast.
“The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis,” CENTCOM said.
The U.S. first began airstrikes on the Houthis in Yemen on March 15 as part of a campaign to force the militant group to stop attacking civilian and military ships in the Red Sea, a vital maritime corridor.
President Trump has vowed to continue such strikes on the Iran-backed Houthis and warned Tehran to stop supporting the group, declaring that the country will be held directly responsible for any future attacks by the rebels.
The U.S. military has also built up its forces in the region, sending a second carrier strike group to Middle East waters as well as bombers, fighter jets and air defense batteries.
That comes after Trump in late January signed an executive order that recognized the Houthis in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization.
While the Trump administration gave several details on the strikes the week they began, officials have since declined to comment on the operation — including on the frequency of the strikes, what they are targeting and whether the U.S. military has made any progress in curbing Houthi attacks.
CENTCOM did not say which military assets were involved in Thursday’s port strike or the number of casualties, if any, noting “this strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen.”