“Today, U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years,” read the statement. “The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen. This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully.”

The number of casualties from the strike is believed to be one of the largest totals since President Donald Trump started ordering military strikes in March against the designated terrorist organization, the Associated Press reported.

Later, the Houthis reportedly fired a missile toward Israel on Friday, but it was intercepted, Israel’s military said. The Times of Israel reported that the IDF Home Front Command used a newly developed warning system to alert citizens in the area of the missile threat.

CENTCOM specified that Thursday’s strike was intended to curtail the economic benefits the Houthis receive due to oil profits from the region. These funds allow the terrorist group to carry out its military operations instead of being distributed to people in Yemen.

“The Houthis have continued to benefit economically and militarily from countries and companies that provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” read CENTCOM’s statement. “The Iran-backed Houthis use fuel to sustain their military operations, as a weapon of control, and to benefit economically from embezzling the profits from the import.” 

“This fuel should be legitimately supplied to the people of Yemen,” noted the release. “Despite the Foreign Terrorist Designation that went into effect on 05 April, ships have continued to supply fuel via the port of Ras Isa. Profits from these illegal sales are directly funding and sustaining Houthi terrorist efforts.”

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The Houthis denounced the U.S. airstrike in a statement of their own, the Associated Press reported. The group categorized the strike as directly “targeting of the entire Yemeni people.”

“This completely unjustified aggression represents a flagrant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and independence and a direct targeting of the entire Yemeni people,” read the Houthis statement. “It targets a vital civilian facility that has served the Yemeni people for decades.”