The US military said it had destroyed a key fuel port in Yemen that was under the control of Houthi rebels. According to the Yemeni rebels, the US airstrikes killed at least 38 people and wounded 102 others.
The US military's Central Command (Centcom) said that US forces carried out attacks on the port of Ras Isa, with the aim of depriving the Houthi rebels - who are backed by Iran - of a key source of fuel supplies and depriving them of the revenue they generate from fuel.
"The purpose of these attacks was to weaken the economic source of power of the Houthi rebels, who continue to exploit and inflict great suffering on their fellow citizens," the Centcom statement said.
"This attack was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly desire to be free from the oppression of the Houthi rebels and live in peace," the US military added.
US airstrikes have hit Yemeni rebels hard. The US launched an air campaign under the orders of US President Donald Trump on March 15 against the Houthi rebels, aiming to stop the rebels' attacks on commercial ships and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Attacks by Yemeni rebels have disrupted commercial shipments through the Suez Canal - a vital route for global seaborne trade - forcing many companies to change shipping routes.
The Houthi rebels have condemned the US attacks.
“This completely unjustified aggression constitutes a blatant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and independence and a direct attack on the entire Yemeni people,” the rebels said in a statement carried by the state-run SABA news agency, which they control. “It targeted a vital civilian target that has served the Yemenis for decades.”
Health Ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi said emergency workers were among the victims.
"The number of victims will likely increase, as identification is still ongoing," Alasbahi said.
This reported death toll represents the highest reported casualty figure since Trump promised to take military action against the rebels until they no longer posed a threat to shipping.
The port of Ras Isa is located along the western coast of Yemen, on the Red Sea.
Centcom said ships have continued to refuel through this port, despite the rebels being declared a terrorist organization by Washington earlier this year./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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