Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) unequivocally condemns the airstrikes carried out by United States forces on the evening of Thursday, April 17, 2025, targeting the Ras Issa oil facility in al-Hodaidah Governorate.

This attack, which claimed the lives of at least 40 individuals and injured over 100—most of whom were civilian port workers, truck drivers, and rescue teams—constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Field reports and media sources confirm that the site was hit by 14 consecutive airstrikes. Disturbingly, among those killed and wounded were members of emergency response teams who were bombed while performing their duties—retrieving bodies and assisting the wounded—highlighting a flagrant disregard for the protected status of rescue personnel under international law.

WJWC asserts that the attack on a civilian oil facility, which was not a legitimate military objective, represents a serious breach of the principles of distinction and proportionality enshrined in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocol I of 1977. According to Article 48 of the Protocol, parties to a conflict are obligated at all times to distinguish between civilian objects and military targets. Article 51 explicitly prohibits attacks that are indiscriminate or that may cause incidental civilian loss excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.

Furthermore, the deliberate targeting of rescue teams—protected under all circumstances by customary and treaty-based international humanitarian law—adds a disturbing dimension to the strikes and strengthens the legal basis for classification of the attack as a war crime.

Women Journalists Without Chains holds the United States fully accountable for the devastating human cost of these airstrikes and for the violation of the fundamental protections owed to civilians under the laws of war. The incident not only reflects a reckless disregard for human life but also raises urgent questions about the legality and ethical grounding of military operations conducted in civilian-populated areas.

The organization calls for the immediate cessation of all airstrikes that endanger civilian lives and infrastructure and urges all parties involved in armed conflict to fully comply with international humanitarian law, particularly the protection of civilian lives, civilian objects, and humanitarian personnel.

WJWC also calls for an urgent, independent, and transparent international investigation into the Ras Issa attack, under the auspices of the United Nations Human Rights Council, with a view to identifying those responsible and ensuring full accountability. Such an investigation is essential to upholding the credibility of the international legal system and preventing future violations.

In conclusion, Women Journalists Without Chains stresses the imperative of shielding Yemeni civilians—especially those employed in vital service sectors—from the consequences of armed conflict. The organization expresses its deep solidarity with the families of the victims and reaffirms its commitment to monitoring, documenting, and elevating the voices of those affected by violence and injustice.

Issued by

Women Journalists Without Chains

April 18, 2025