Tensions in the Middle East flared once more on Friday as U.S. forces launched another wave of airstrikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port in Hodeidah—less than a month after a similar strike killed over 80 people in the same area. The escalation came just hours after Houthi fighters claimed to have fired hypersonic missiles toward Israel in retaliation for ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza.

According to Al Masirah TV, which is affiliated with the Houthi movement (also known as Ansar Allah), seven U.S. strikes targeted the port in the al-Salif district. The renewed bombardment is the latest in Washington’s intensified military campaign in Yemen, raising concerns over civilian casualties and regional destabilization.

The U.S. Department of Defense has not formally acknowledged Friday’s attacks, but a Pentagon official confirmed to Associated Press that the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman will extend its deployment in the Middle East, maintaining two carrier strike groups in the region “for operational flexibility.”

On the same day, the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles toward Israel—one targeting the Tel Aviv area and another the Ramat David airbase in northern Israel. Israeli authorities confirmed both launches, saying the first missile was intercepted and a second interception attempt was underway. No casualties or damage were reported.

Brigadier Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Houthis, claimed the group used hypersonic missiles in what he described as a "precision military operation" against Israeli military targets. While Israel’s military remains tight-lipped on the technical details, the launch signals a strategic escalation in Houthi capabilities and intent.

The Houthis have consistently linked their military actions in the Red Sea and beyond to the situation in Gaza, vowing that strikes on Israel, the U.S., and the UK will not cease until a permanent ceasefire is established in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Beyond the battlefield, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. Human rights monitors report a sharp rise in non-combatant deaths in recent weeks. UK-based watchdog Airwars estimates that between 27 and 55 civilians were killed by U.S. airstrikes in March alone, with early April numbers appearing even grimmer.

A particularly harrowing incident on Monday reportedly claimed the lives of at least 68 African migrants held in detention and eight others in the capital Sana’a, according to Houthi media. The victims were among the latest casualties in what rights groups describe as indiscriminate and disproportionate strikes.

The United Nations has also raised alarm. “Strikes pose a growing risk to the civilian population in Yemen,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, urging all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.

In Washington, pressure is mounting. Three Democratic U.S. senators have called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide a full accounting of the civilian toll and clarify targeting protocols.

The current situation reveals the complexity of U.S. and allied operations in the region—balancing counter-Houthi deterrence with the growing backlash over humanitarian fallout. Meanwhile, Houthi missile launches toward Israel risk dragging Yemen further into the Gaza conflict.

As strikes continue from land, air, and sea, the question remains whether the current trajectory leads to de-escalation—or deeper entrenchment in a multi-front war that has already left thousands dead and millions displaced.



By WafricNews Desk.