A deadly air strike allegedly carried out by US forces has killed at least 68 African migrants and injured dozens more at a detention facility in Saada, northern Yemen, according to Houthi authorities.
The facility, located in Houthi-controlled territory, was reportedly housing over 100 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, when it was bombed in the early hours of Monday 28 April morning. Houthi-run media published distressing images showing the aftermath, with first responders recovering charred bodies from the rubble. The US military’s Central Command (Centcom) has confirmed it is reviewing the incident amid claims of civilian casualties.
The strike comes as part of a broader and intensified US campaign targeting Houthi forces, which has included more than 800 attacks since mid-March under orders from President Donald Trump. While the US maintains that its operations are aimed at degrading Houthi military capabilities, including drone and missile systems, critics warn that such actions are increasingly impacting non-combatants. The Houthi-run interior ministry has condemned the strike as a “war crime,” while human rights groups and international agencies such as the UN’s International Organization for Migration have called for accountability and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
This tragedy also shines a harsh spotlight on the plight of migrants in Yemen, many of whom transit through the war-torn country in hopes of reaching Saudi Arabia for work. Despite the active conflict and widespread humanitarian crisis, tens of thousands of migrants continue to arrive from the Horn of Africa, often facing horrific conditions in detention centres. Rights organisations have long documented overcrowding, abuse, and a lack of legal protections for these individuals. With US-led strikes escalating and migrant deaths mounting, the incident is likely to deepen scrutiny of American military operations in the region and Yemen’s broader migrant crisis.