The US military has denied responsibility for a deadly blast that occurred Sunday near the Old City of Sana’a, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yemen, saying the explosion was caused by a Houthi missile, not an American airstrike.
The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry had initially claimed that a US airstrike killed at least 12 people in the area. However, a US Central Command spokesperson said on Thursday that, while the casualties likely happened, they were the result of a malfunctioning Houthi air defense missile. According to the spokesperson, US forces did conduct strikes in Yemen that night, but the nearest one was over three miles (5 km) from the explosion site.
US officials said their assessment was based on a review of local videos showing missile debris with Arabic writing that identified it as a Houthi weapon. The Houthis reportedly arrested several Yemenis after the incident, though the US has not publicly released any direct evidence supporting their claims.
A Houthi official, speaking to the New York Times, dismissed the US explanation as an attempt to deflect blame and smear their movement.
The situation comes amid a major escalation in US military actions in Yemen. President Donald Trump ordered an intensification of strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis last month, aiming to cripple their military and economic resources. The Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians suffering under Israel’s war in Gaza.
In a related development, US strikes earlier this week killed at least 74 people at an oil terminal, marking the deadliest American attack in Yemen under Trump’s presidency, according to local officials. Rights groups have voiced growing concern about the high civilian death toll, and three Democratic senators have sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding greater accountability for civilian casualties.
The broader backdrop remains grim: over the past decade, the Houthis have seized large areas of Yemen, leading to a prolonged and devastating conflict. Meanwhile, the violence in Gaza continues to fuel regional tensions. Over 51,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since October 2023, sparking genocide and war crimes accusations against Israel — charges the Israeli government denies.
Adding complexity, reports from Israel’s own Haaretz newspaper suggest that some casualties initially blamed on Palestinian fighters during the October 7 Hamas-led attack were actually caused by Israeli army fire, deepening controversy over the narratives of that day’s events.