At least 68 African migrants have reportedly been killed in a US air strike on a detention centre in Houthi-controlled north-western Yemen, according to Houthi-run media. Al Masirah TV reported that an additional 47 migrants were critically injured when the detention centre in Saada province was bombed. Graphic footage shared by the outlet showed multiple bodies buried under rubble from the destroyed building. The US military has not yet commented on the incident.
The deadly strike came hours after US Central Command (Centcom) announced that its forces had carried out more than 800 attacks since President Donald Trump ordered an intensified military campaign against the Houthis starting from 15 March. Centcom stated that the air strikes had killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and leaders, including officials responsible for missile and drone operations. However, Houthi authorities claim that the ongoing US air strikes have mostly killed civilians rather than Houthi fighters.
Reports indicate that the targeted migrant detention centre in Saada was housing around 115 African migrants at the time of the strike on Sunday night. Despite Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis after more than 11 years of conflict, African migrants continue to cross into the country by boat from the Horn of Africa, hoping to eventually reach Saudi Arabia for better opportunities. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), migrants in Yemen often face exploitation, detention, violence, and dangerous journeys through active war zones. In 2024 alone, nearly 60,900 migrants have arrived in Yemen, many without basic means of survival.
Earlier this month, Houthi authorities reported that US strikes on the Ras Isa oil terminal on Yemen’s Red Sea coast killed at least 74 people and wounded 171 others. They described the attack on the civilian facility as a “war crime.” In contrast, Centcom stated that destroying Ras Isa would impair the Houthis’ ability to conduct military operations and eliminate a major source of revenue for what the US calls terrorist activities.
Tensions have escalated sharply between the US and the Houthis. President Trump recently ordered extensive strikes on Houthi-held areas and warned of “complete annihilation” if the group continued its activities. Trump also cautioned Iran against supplying weapons to the Houthis, a claim Tehran has consistently denied. Centcom has declared that it will continue increasing military pressure until its objectives are met, including restoring freedom of navigation and reestablishing US deterrence in the region.
Since November 2023, Houthi forces have targeted dozens of commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden using missiles, drones, and small boat attacks. Their actions have resulted in the sinking of two vessels, the seizure of a third, and the deaths of four crew members. While the Houthis claim they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, many of their attacks have reportedly targeted ships unrelated to Israel, the US, or the UK.
The US had previously removed the Houthis’ “Foreign Terrorist Organization” designation under President Joe Biden to alleviate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. However, after assuming office in January, President Trump reinstated the designation, marking a major policy shift. Yemen remains devastated by a brutal civil war that erupted after the Houthis seized control of the country’s northwestern region. A Saudi-led coalition, backed by the US, intervened in an attempt to restore the internationally recognized government. Over the past decade, the conflict has left more than 150,000 people dead, displaced 4.8 million individuals, and pushed 19.5 million Yemenis into urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
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