A U.S. airstrike reportedly struck a migrant detention center in Houthi-controlled Saada, northern Yemen, on Monday, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens more. The facility, according to Houthi media outlet Al-Masirah, housed 115 African migrants, many from East Africa attempting to reach Saudi Arabia for work.
The attack has intensified scrutiny on the U.S. military’s “Operation Rough Rider”, a months-long campaign targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels following their continued assaults on Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping routes.
Grim Civilian Toll
The Houthi-run Interior Ministry confirmed 47 others wounded, many in critical condition. Graphic footage aired by Al-Masirah showed bodies beneath rubble and frantic rescue efforts amid collapsed buildings. The incident represents one of the deadliest U.S. strikes on non-combatants in recent years, especially involving migrants, a group particularly vulnerable in Yemen’s protracted civil conflict.
Background: U.S. Strikes and Houthi Escalation
Since mid-March 2025, the U.S. has conducted over 800 strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure—command centers, missile depots, drone facilities—in response to Houthi attacks on international vessels and Israel, which began in late 2023. These attacks, the Houthis claim, are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The Biden administration, continuing a policy begun under Trump, insists the goal is freedom of navigation and regional stability. A CENTCOM spokesperson said recent operations had reduced Houthi one-way drone and missile attacks by over 50%, yet acknowledged the group remains a capable and Iran-supported threat.
Strategic & Humanitarian Crisis
Yemen has long been a key transit route for East African migrants—mostly Ethiopians and Somalis—fleeing war and poverty in hopes of work in the Gulf. The country’s ongoing war has made the route extremely dangerous, with migrants often caught in clashes or detained in squalid conditions.
With civilian casualties mounting, including an earlier strike in Sanaa that killed at least eight people, humanitarian groups are demanding accountability and greater restraint from all sides.
Global Reactions and Rising Tensions
As the international community expresses concern, calls are growing for the UN and global powers to reassess military strategies that risk civilian lives. The Houthis have vowed retaliation, while U.S. officials say the strikes will continue “until objectives are met.”
The strike is not only a tragic loss of life but also a symbol of the spiraling regional crisis, with foreign powers’ involvement deepening divisions and complicating peace efforts.
