American forces in the Middle East struck a major oil facility in western Yemen on Thursday — the first publicly acknowledged attack in weeks during the military’s ongoing airstrike campaign against the Houthis.
“Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue,” Central Command said in a statement.
Ras Isa is a critical oil pipeline and port, one of three on the country’s west coast through which the vast majority of imports and humanitarian assistance enter Yemen. Central Command argued the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which America considers a terrorist group, were using the site as a fuel supply facility and for graft.
“The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis,” Central Command said.
In mid-March, the U.S. military began an extended bombing campaign against the group, threatening to continue the strikes until the Houthis stop targeting commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, a vital route for global trade.
The Pentagon briefed reporters on the campaign the week it began, but has since refused to comment on the number of strikes, targets or progress toward reopening shipping lanes. The refusal marks a break from the previous year of airstrikes on the Houthis, which Central Command would describe in public releases.
“They’re not going to admit the amount of their casualties or how much of their leadership structure has been decimated, but we know,” Hegseth said of the Houthis last week.
When asked to describe those estimates, Hegseth demurred.
What is clear, however, is America’s recent military buildup in the region. Hegseth has rushed a second carrier strike group, air defense batteries, advanced bombers and fighter jets to the Middle East to aid the campaign and send a message to Iran, which is now joining direct talks with the U.S. on the future of its nuclear program.
Central Command did not disclose the military assets involved in Thursday’s strike nor the number of casualties.
Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.
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