The Iran-backed Houthi group has acknowledged a U.S. airstrike targeting a fuel tanker at Ras Issa Port in Hodeidah province, western Yemen. The Houthis claim the vessel was preparing to unload an oil shipment, a move the U.S. asserts violates its ban on dealings with Houthi-controlled ports, especially after the port was reportedly bombed and rendered inoperable a week prior.

Jamal Amer, the Houthis' de facto foreign minister, stated on the "X" that U.S. aircraft struck the anchored ship to prevent the offloading of its oil cargo, alleging that American forces are obstructing all fuel shipments. He further claimed that three Russian sailors – Roman Kashpor, Igor Kvazishenko, and Artem Vanin – were injured in the strike, a claim Barran Press could not independently verify.

The U.S. military had announced the targeting of Ras Issa’s fuel port the previous week following 14 airstrikes, citing the operation's aim to cripple the Houthis' financial resources. Washington accuses the group of illicitly profiting from and militarily leveraging entities providing support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

U.S. Central Command explained that the Houthis utilize fuel revenues to fund military operations, consolidate control, and gain from the misappropriation of import earnings, stressing that "this fuel should lawfully serve the Yemeni people." Despite their terrorist designation, fuel shipments had reportedly continued through Ras Issa, with profits indirectly bolstering Houthi activities.

The strike occurred approximately a week after the U.S. issued warnings to countries, companies, and commercial entities against engaging with Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen, labeling such interactions as violations of U.S. law.
The U.S. Department of State officially designated the Houthis as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" on March 5, 2025, fulfilling a pledge made by President Donald Trump. Executive Order 14175, cited by State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, stated that "Houthi activities threaten the security of civilians and U.S. personnel in the Middle East, endanger our closest regional partners, and destabilize global maritime trade."
Since March 15, the U.S. has intensified its efforts to disrupt Houthi capabilities through ongoing airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites across multiple provinces. Since the beginning of Trump's campaign, over 700 air and naval strikes have reportedly targeted the group, focusing on fortified shelters primarily in Saada, Sanaa, Amran, and Hodeidah, as well as frontline assets in Marib and Al-Jawf. Military sites, fortifications, and warehouses in Hajjah, Al-Bayda, Dhamar, and Ibb provinces have also been hit to a lesser extent. The Houthi group has largely concealed its losses, only reporting civilian casualties.