A deadly air strike struck a migrant detention center in northern Yemen, killing at least 68 people. The attack happened in the city of Saada, which is controlled by the Houthi group.
Most of the victims were undocumented African migrants, many of whom were trying to reach Saudi Arabia in search of work and a better life.
The deadly incident occurred on a known migrant route often used by Ethiopians and other East Africans who cross the Red Sea to Yemen before heading north toward the Saudi border. The facility that was hit had previously been targeted during the war, and satellite images confirm that the building was intact the day before the strike.
The strike is believed to be part of the U.S. military’s recent wave of air attacks on Houthi targets, launched in response to the Houthis’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. has not confirmed responsibility for this particular attack, and American officials have said they will not release details about specific targets for operational security reasons.
After the strike, footage from the scene showed bodies covered in dust and trapped under broken concrete. Rescue workers tried to carry away the wounded, while one man could be heard calling for his mother in Ethiopia’s main language. The images have caused widespread shock and drawn attention to the growing risks migrants face in Yemen’s conflict zones.
The Houthi group, which has controlled northern Yemen since the start of the civil war nearly a decade ago, blamed the U.S. for the attack. They said more than 100 migrants were being held at the facility at the time and accused the U.S. of committing a brutal act against unarmed civilians. Human rights groups have also raised concerns about the rising number of civilian deaths linked to air strikes in the region.
This strike is one of several recent attacks in Yemen. Earlier this month, another U.S. air strike on a fuel facility reportedly killed over 70 people. The rising civilian toll has led to pressure from American lawmakers demanding an investigation into how these operations are being carried out and whether they are violating international laws.
Yemen’s civil war has been ongoing for nearly ten years, with the Houthis fighting against a government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Although a truce had eased the fighting in the past two years, recent developments show that the conflict is far from over. For migrants, the dangers have only increased. Many continue to risk the journey across the Red Sea despite the threat of drowning, border violence, or getting caught in the crossfire.
The International Organization for Migration has warned that more than 500 migrants died at sea last year trying to reach Yemen. Those who make it across still face harsh conditions and growing violence at the Saudi-Yemen border, where previous reports have accused border forces of killing large groups of migrants trying to cross.
As Yemen’s war drags on and U.S. air strikes continue, many fear that more civilians—especially the most vulnerable—will become casualties of a conflict that shows no signs of ending.