Additional Coverage:
Saada, Yemen — A US airstrike on a migrant detention center here has left at least 68 dead and 47 injured, according to Yemen’s Civil Defense. The early morning strike on Monday devastated the facility, which reportedly housed approximately 100 African migrants.
Rescue workers sifted through the rubble following the attack, while international organizations expressed outrage and concern. The International Committee of the Red Cross, supporting the Yemen Red Crescent Society’s emergency response, condemned the strike, noting the high number of migrant casualties.
Christine Cipolla, ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen, stated, “It is unthinkable that while people are detained and have nowhere to escape, they can also be caught in the line of fire. This attack underscores how civilians in Yemen are increasingly exposed to death, grievous injury, and deepening psychological trauma.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs echoed these concerns, expressing alarm over the reports and reiterating the importance of protecting civilians under international humanitarian law.
The US military’s Central Command had issued a statement prior to reports of the strike on the detention center, highlighting its recent campaign against Houthi forces in Yemen. The statement detailed hundreds of targets struck since mid-March, resulting in the deaths of numerous Houthi fighters and leaders.
The US military claims these operations have significantly reduced Houthi missile and drone attacks. The statement also emphasized the disruption of fuel supplies to the Ras Isa Port, impacting both Houthi operations and revenue streams.
Central Command attributed continued Houthi attacks to Iranian support and vowed to maintain pressure until freedom of navigation and American deterrence are restored in the region. There has been no comment from US officials regarding the strike on the migrant detention center.