David Gritten & Jaroslav Lukiv
BBC News
Reuters
Houthi-run media says Saada’s detention centres were harboring African immigrants
At least 68 African immigrants were killed in a US air attack at a detention center in northwest Yemen controlled by Houthi, according to the armed group’s television channel.
Al Masila reported that 47 more migrants were injured when the Sadha centre was bombed. I posted graphic footage showing multiple bodies covered in tiled bleeds of a destroyed building.
The US Secretary of Defense said the US military’s central commander is aware of the claims of civilian casualties.
The strike comes hours after President Donald Trump ordered an air campaign against the Hoosys on March 15th, and the army has been attacked by more than 800 targets.
The strike said it “killed hundreds of Hooty fighters and numerous Hooty leaders,” including senior officials overseeing missile and drone programs.
Authorities run by Houthi have said the strike killed dozens of civilians, but they have reported few casualties among members of the group.
According to Al Masirah, the immigration detention centre in Saada reportedly had 115 Africans when he was hit four times during 05:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Monday.
Although reports of the victims could not be immediately verified, Al Masila’s video showed the first counterpart recovering the bodies of at least 12 men in pieces of concrete and metal on the floor of a large building with no roof.
Another injured man told Al Masilah at a local hospital:
After a visit to Sheen, Ibrahim Kabdulkaadil Makarin, chairman of Yemen’s Somali community, told the BBC:
He said the number of Somali immigrants killed was “very small” as the group was taken out of the detention center three days ago, and the majority of detainees were Ethiopians.
He also said the facility was “open areas” and “not near military bases.”
The Houthi-run Home Ministry condemned what was called “deliberate bombings” at the facility, saying it constituted a “war crime.”
The US Secretary of Defense said the Central Command took the claims of civilian casualties very seriously and is currently assessing combat damages and investigating them.
The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it was “deeply saddened by reports of Sada’s tragic loss of life.”
“IOM does not operate at this facility, but we are committed to being prepared to closely monitor the situation and provide support when necessary.”
“We call on all parties for conflict in order to prioritize the protection of civilians and fully respect international law.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the team from the Yemeni Red Crescent Association is providing life-saving assistance by evacuating injured people to hospitals, ensuring dignified control of the dead.
Reuters
The Houthi-run Home Ministry said strikes are equivalent to “war crimes.”
At least 66 people reportedly died in 2022 when a Saudi-led coalition attacked a pre-judgment detention facility just 100 meters (330 feet) from the location of Monday’s attack, at least 66 people were reportedly killed.
Al Masila also reported eight more people killed in an overnight US attack in the Hooty-controlled capital Sanaa.
A statement released by Centcom later on Sunday said the US will “deliberately disclose details of ongoing or future operations” in order to “maintain operational security.”
Despite Yemen’s devastation and humanitarian crisis caused by Yemen’s 11 years of conflict, migrants continue to arrive domestically by boat from the Horn of Africa, motivated by their country’s political and economic instability, drought and other extreme weather events.
Most of them intend to travel to nearby Saudi Arabia to find work. Instead, according to the IOM, they face exploitation, detention, violence and dangerous journeys through active conflict zones.
In 2024 alone, almost 60,900 immigrants have arrived in the country, but in many cases there is no way to survive. Most of them are Ethiopians and Somalis.
Thousands of migrants are believed to be held at detention centres like Sada, but there are no official statistics from Houthi Run authorities. Rights groups say detainees are experiencing disastrous conditions, including overcrowding, abuse and poor hygiene.
Earlier this month, the Houthi-run government said a series of US airborne air at the RAS ISA oil terminal on the Red Sea coast killed at least 74 people and injured 171 people. The terminal is a private facility and said the strike constituted a “war crime.”
Centcom said the attack would destroy the Ras ISA’s ability to accept fuel and “impact the ability to not only operate, but also generate millions of dollars in revenue for terrorist activities.”
Reuters
Houthi-run media reported that 47 African immigrants have been injured, many of whom are seriously
Last month, Trump ordered a massive strike in a region controlled by the Houches, threatening them to “wash completely.” He also warned Iran not to arm the group – something that it repeatedly denied.
On Sunday, Centcom said it would continue to raise pressure until the objectives are met.
On Monday evening, a military spokesman for Houthis said the military retaliated for the US “aggression and civilian massacre” by targeting USS Harry’s Truman Aircraft Carrier Battle Group with “many cruises and ballistic missiles and drones.”
He also said the group had launched a drone towards the city of Ashkelon in southern Israel. Israeli forces have previously announced that they have intercepted missiles launched from Yemen.
Since November 2023, Houthis has targeted dozens of merchant ships with missiles, drones and small boat attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They sunk two ships, seized a third, and killed four crew members.
Houthis has said he is acting in favor of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and often mistakenly claims that they are targeting only ships related to Israel, the US or the UK.
Houthis was not thwarted by the deployment of Western warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden last year to protect merchant ships, as well as multiple strikes on military targets ordered by former President Joe Biden.
After taking office in January, Trump redesigned the Hoosis as a “foreign terrorist organization.” This is a position the Biden administration ruled out because it said there was a need to alleviate the country’s humanitarian crisis.
Yemen was devastated by the civil war. This escalated when the Houtis seized control of the Northwest from an internationally recognized government in 2015, with a US-backed Saudi coalition intervening in efforts to restore its rules.
The battle reportedly killed more than 150,000 people, causing a humanitarian disaster.
