U.S. airstrikes on Yemeni oil port cause ecological disaster

On April 17-19, 2025, U.S. forces launched 14 rounds of airstrikes on the Yemeni port of Ras al-Issa, destroying oil storage tanks and pipelines, disrupting the transport of 49 million barrels of crude oil and causing a massive oil slick in the Red Sea. Satellite monitoring showed that the oil spill threatened coral reefs and seabird habitats on the island of Qamarran, and Yemen’s 25 million people faced fuel shortages and hospitals were forced to shut down due to a lack of diesel.