US Airstrike in Yemen Reportedly Kills Dozens of African Migrants, Houthis Say

At least 68 African migrants were killed and 47 others injured in a US airstrike on a detention facility in Yemen’s Saada province, according to Houthi-affiliated media.

The detention center, located in an area under the control of the Houthi movement in north-western Yemen, was reportedly housing 115 migrants at the time of the strike. Graphic images broadcast by Al Masirah TV showed bodies amidst the rubble of the destroyed facility.

The United States military has not yet issued a direct response regarding the reported strike. However, US Central Command (Centcom) had earlier announced that American forces had conducted over 800 strikes since mid-March, as part of an intensified campaign against Houthi targets. These operations, known as “Operation Rough Rider,” are intended to weaken the Houthis’ capabilities, particularly their missile and drone programs. Centcom stated the strikes had killed “hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous leaders,” but provided no mention of the detention center incident.

The Houthis have accused the United States of targeting civilian sites and committing “war crimes,” pointing to other recent strikes, such as one earlier this month on the Ras Isa oil terminal that reportedly killed at least 74 people. US officials defended the Ras Isa strike by stating it aimed to disrupt Houthi funding and operations.

Migrants from countries like Ethiopia and others in the Horn of Africa continue to make dangerous journeys to Yemen despite the ongoing civil conflict, aiming to reach Saudi Arabia for employment. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 60,900 migrants have arrived in Yemen in 2024 alone, often facing exploitation, detention, and violence.

The strike on the Saada detention center comes amid broader tensions in the region. Since late 2023, the Houthis have launched multiple attacks against shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, actions they claim are in support of Palestinians in Gaza. The US and its allies have responded with increased military operations to secure maritime navigation routes.

This is not the first time the Saada facility has been targeted. In 2022, a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on the same compound caused the deaths of dozens of detainees, an incident widely criticized by the United Nations for failing to avoid civilian casualties.

With input from BBC, Al Jazeera, and CNN.