Middle East: In a single devastating day across the Middle East, at least 70 people were killed and over 100 injured as both the United States and Israel launched deadly military assaults in Yemen and Gaza.
According to reports from Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, US air strikes targeted Yemen’s vital Ras Isa oil port on April 18, 2025, killing at least 38 people and injuring 102 others.
The attack, described as one of the deadliest by the US in Yemen, struck without warning while workers were present at the port. CENTCOM confirmed the strikes, stating they aimed to cripple the Houthis' fuel supply and economic capabilities. However, the Pentagon refused to address civilian casualties despite mounting evidence and graphic videos surfacing on social media showing burning wreckage and injured workers.
Meanwhile in Gaza, Israeli air raids continued to devastate civilian areas. At least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the Strip on Thursday, according to medical sources. Among the dead were a family of 10, killed early Friday morning when their home in Khan Younis was bombed.
In addition, a previous attack on makeshift tent camps in the same area had already left 30 more dead, including a child with special needs. Seven others suffered severe burns. Human rights groups have condemned the strikes, warning that targeting civilian shelters may constitute grave violations of international law.
These simultaneous assaults highlight the growing humanitarian crisis across the region. In Yemen, nearly 70% of humanitarian aid and imports come through ports like Ras Isa, now heavily damaged, worsening conditions in an already war-torn country.
In Gaza, aid remains choked off as Israeli authorities continue to deny coordinated UN humanitarian missions. Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that no aid would be permitted and that Israeli forces will maintain a long-term presence in Gaza’s “security zones.”
Tensions are only rising. Hours after the Ras Isa bombing, Israel reported intercepting a missile fired from Yemen — allegedly by Houthis retaliating for Israeli actions in Gaza. Since November 2023, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for over 100 attacks on vessels linked to Israel. The US has warned these strikes will continue until the Houthi movement halts its Red Sea operations.
Global condemnation is mounting. In Paris, hundreds of journalists protested Israel’s ongoing killing of media workers in Gaza — nearly 200 have died since October 2023. Despite growing international outrage, both Israel and the US show no signs of de-escalation, with civilians paying the heaviest price.
