The US military strike on Yemen’s Ras Issa oil port—which resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including medics—raises serious concerns of grave violations of international humanitarian law, potentially amounting to war crimes, said Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor in a statement
Euro-Med Monitor, which is a youth-led independent, nonprofit organization that advocates for the human rights of all persons across Europe and the MENA region, called for “An independent investigation” to ensure full accountability and prevent more attacks that endanger civilian lives and undermine the legal protections afforded to civilians during armed conflicts.
Euro-Med Monitor’s statement added that the attack on the Ras Issa oil port on Thursday evening in Yemen’s western province of Al-Hudaydah, killed around 80 individuals and injured more than 150, including port workers and first responders who had rushed to the site to assist victims. The attack also caused widespread destruction to the port’s infrastructure, which is vital for importing fuel into the country.
Euro-Med Monitor’ statement concluded that the targeted facility was civilian, and the civilian harm caused is grossly disproportionate to the declared military advantage of weakening the Houthis’ economic base, and that the international community must compel the United States to uphold its legal obligations under international law.