US Air Strike in Yemen Kills Dozens of African Migrants: Houthis

• Apr 28, 2025

At least 68 African migrants have been killed in Yemen after a U.S. air strike hit a detention centre.

According to Houthi-run TV channel Al Masirah, the air strike struck a migrant detention centre in Yemen’s Saada province, an area controlled by the Houthis. Another 47 migrants were reported injured, with most in critical condition. Graphic footage released by Al Masirah showed bodies buried under rubble at the destroyed site. So far, the U.S. military has not issued any comment regarding the incident.

The deadly strike came just hours after U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced that its forces had hit more than 800 targets since President Donald Trump ordered an escalation of air attacks against the Houthis on March 15. Centcom said the strikes had killed hundreds of Houthi fighters, including senior figures responsible for the group’s missile and drone programs.

Houthi officials, however, have accused the U.S. of killing dozens of civilians in recent strikes, while reporting relatively few casualties among their own fighters. Reports indicate that the detention centre struck on Sunday night was housing 115 African migrants at the time of the bombing.

Despite Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, fueled by over 11 years of conflict, thousands of migrants continue to arrive by boat from the Horn of Africa. Many of these migrants hope to cross Yemen into Saudi Arabia in search of work. However, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warns that migrants often face exploitation, violence, and dangerous journeys through active conflict zones. In 2024 alone, nearly 60,900 migrants have arrived in Yemen, many with no resources to survive.

Earlier this month, the Houthis reported another deadly attack when U.S. air strikes hit the Ras Isa oil terminal on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, killing at least 74 people and injuring 171 more. The Houthis claim Ras Isa was a civilian facility and accused the U.S. of committing a "war crime." Centcom countered, saying the strike targeted Houthi revenue sources used to fund terror operations.

President Trump has vowed to intensify pressure on the Houthis, threatening complete destruction if attacks on international shipping continue. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile, drone, and small boat attacks against merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sinking two ships, seizing another, and killing four crew members.