US strike on migrant centre in Yemen kills 68, Houthi media says

A US strike targeting a detention centre holding African migrants in Yemen killed at least 68 people, Houthi-run media said on Monday.

The attack in Yemen's northern Saada governorate is one of the deadliest since the United States accelerated its offensive six weeks ago to curtail Houthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, in what the Iranian-backed group says is in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict. 

Another 47 migrants were injured, the Houthi Civil Defence said. 

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) did not provide details regarding Monday's strike. It said it would limit disclosing information to the public surrounding activity in Yemen to preserve operational security. 

"We have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations. We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do," CENTCOM said in a statement released early on Monday, before the reported airstrike. 

The Houthi Interior Ministry said some 115 migrants had been detained at the site. 

Footage shared by Yemeni broadcaster al-Masirah news showed graphic footage of scores of dead and injured people at the site. Emergency responders were seen assisting the wounded and covering the dead, surrounded by debris. 

The interior ministry condemned what it called the "deliberate bombing" of the facility and said it constituted a "war crime."

Migrants from Africa continue to enter Yemen despite the conflict that has devastated the country for over a decade. The migrants, mostly from Ethiopia and Somalia, typically intend to cross into Saudi Arabia but often face violence and detainment, according the International Organisation for Migration. 

Thousands of migrants are said to be held in detention within Yemen, however, statistics remain limited. 

A separate US strike targeted Sanaa on Monday, killing at least eight people. Last week, the US targeted Ras Isa fuel port, putting a major source of revenue for the Houthis out of commission and killing at least 74 people and wounding dozens more. The facility was run by civilians, according the Houthi-run government.

Commenting on the strike, CENTCOM said it "will begin to impact Houthi ability to not only conduct operations, but also to generate millions of dollars in revenue for their terror activities," adding that it has struck 800 targets since the start of the escalation on March 15. 

In November 2023, the Houthi rebel group began targeting commercial vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea, launching dozens of drones and ballistic missiles. The attacks have reduced traffic through the Suez Canal, which normally records about 15 per cent of global maritime trade volume, and forced shipping firms to reroute around southern Africa.

The rebels halted attacks on vessels earlier this year during the ceasefire in Gaza but vowed to resume its activities after it fell through last month. 

The United States, under Trump's administration, has ramped up attacks on the Houthis in an attempt to prevent further disruptions to sea traffic.