The U.S. military attacked the General Authority for Maritime Affairs building at Yemen's Hodeidah Port with airstrikes overnight on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction as tensions continue to escalate between the U.S. and the Houthis.
Video footage recording the attack shows the structure is severely damaged, with shattered windows, scattered rubble, and parts of the ceiling caved in.
A China Media Group correspondent reported from the western Yemeni city that more than a dozen powerful blasts were heard on Saturday evening, raising suspicions of additional U.S. airstrikes in the area.
The Houthi-run health ministry confirmed that American forces also struck Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and surrounding areas in Sanaa Province on the same night, resulting in at least 10 casualties, including both deaths and injuries.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement on Saturday that the group had successfully shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa Province, marking the second such drone reportedly downed by the Houthis within 24 hours.
The fresh violence followed a deadly wave of U.S. attacks on Thursday night that targeted and destroyed the Houthi-controlled Ras Isa fuel port and concrete tanks storing imported fuel, killing at least 80 people and injuring 150 others. It marked the deadliest U.S. raid since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in mid-March 2025.
US airstrike hits Yemen's Hodeidah Maritime Affairs building amid escalating tensions
US airstrike hits Yemen's Hodeidah Maritime Affairs building amid escalating tensions
US airstrike hits Yemen's Hodeidah Maritime Affairs building amid escalating tensions
US airstrike hits Yemen's Hodeidah Maritime Affairs building amid escalating tensions
Officials and scholars from the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region have welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote address at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing on Tuesday.
They said that the speech laid out the practical achievements and broad prospects of the China-LAC community with a shared future, put forward new initiatives and actions for the development of China-LAC relations, and signaled the direction for both sides to achieve common development and revitalization and write a new chapter in China-LAC relations.
"The projects designed by China for this region meet the needs of Latin American countries. In terms of development and investment projects, such as infrastructure, clean energy and digitalization, they are very important for Cuba. And projects such as the planned Brazil-Peru bi-oceanic railway and the expansion of the port of La Guaira in Venezuela directly and indirectly create jobs and benefit Latin American people," said Eduardo Regalado, a researcher at the International Policy Research Center of Cuba.
Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi said that his country is committed to carrying forward the positive momentum of the China-CELAC Forum when it assumes the rotating presidency of CELAC from Colombia in 2026.
"Uruguay is looking forward to taking over next year and continuing the tradition of the past decade. To this end, we must strengthen the development of these platforms for promoting multilateralism, and carefully protect the achievements made by both sides at this year's meetings. We should not only achieve development in the field of economy and trade, but also contribute to promoting world peace," he said.
Other politicians from Latin America pointed out that China and LAC countries are all important members of the Global South, and are comprehensive cooperative partners featuring equality, mutual benefit and shared development. In a profoundly changing world, the strengthening of China-LAC solidarity and collaboration is an example of true multilateralism and sets a model for South-South cooperation, some said.
"President Xi Jinping has a broad vision for global development. China has made amazing development achievements, which have become a part of modern society, including technology, artificial intelligence and clean energy. The inflow of Chinese investment, such as for the construction of Chancay Port, has activated development in a variety of sectors [in Peru]," said Edgar Tello, a Peruvian congressman.
"President Xi Jinping announced the strengthening of South-South cooperation and the launch five programs. It will give more Latin American people the opportunity to study in China. China will provide a 66-billion-yuan (about 9.16 billion U.S. dollars) credit line to provide financial support for the development of LAC countries. And China will promote the civilization program to carry out cooperation in archaeology and civilization research. Such mutual cooperation and win-win initiatives between China and LAC countries are inspiring. We in Honduras are sincerely delighted with the series of cooperation plans announced by President Xi," said Rasel Tome, vice president of the National Congress of Honduras.
Officials, scholars praise Xi's keynote speech at China-CELAC Forum
