US Airstrike on Yemeni Detention Center Kills 68, Say Houthis

 Yemen’s Houthi rebels have accused the United States of carrying out a deadly airstrike on a detention center in the northern city of Saada, claiming 68 people were killed and 47 others injured. The facility, they said, was housing African migrants and operated under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross.

The Houthis condemned the strike as a "full-fledged war crime." The US military has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

The alleged strike comes amid “Operation Rough Rider,” a sustained US military campaign launched on March 15 targeting the Iranian-backed Houthis to neutralize threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis began targeting Israeli and Western vessels in October 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.

Graphic footage aired by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah satellite channel appeared to show bodies and wounded survivors following Sunday night's strike.

Yemen has long served as a major transit point for migrants—primarily from Ethiopia and Somalia—seeking passage to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Despite a decade of civil conflict, estimates suggest more than 300,000 migrants are currently stranded across the country. Reports have previously alleged that the Houthis profit significantly from cross-border smuggling operations.

The incident echoes a 2022 Saudi-led coalition strike on the same detention compound, which a United Nations investigation found resulted in 66 deaths and over 100 injuries. That attack also drew international condemnation, although Saudi forces at the time justified the strike by alleging Houthi use of the facility for drone operations.

Since the Trump administration designated the Houthis a Foreign Terrorist Organization in January, the US military has intensified its approach. Mid-March saw a shift toward more frequent and targeted strikes not only against Houthi military sites but also reportedly against its leadership, including Abdelmalek al-Houthi, who has headed the group since 2004.

Ahead of news of the Saada strike, US Central Command issued a statement emphasizing the need for operational secrecy: "We have intentionally limited the disclosure of details regarding our ongoing or future operations. While deliberate in our approach, we will not reveal specifics."

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump stated that the Houthis had been “decimated” by US strikes but warned of further escalation: "Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, the real pain is yet to come—for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran."

Despite heavy bombardment, the Houthis have demonstrated resilience. The group, operating under Iran’s so-called "Axis of Resistance," has withstood years of Saudi airstrikes, often supported by British targeting assistance. In recent weeks, the Houthis claim to have downed seven US MQ-9 Reaper drones, allegedly inflicting over $200 million in damages.

The effectiveness of targeted strikes on Houthi leadership remains a subject of debate. Analysts argue that the group’s ideological and religious structure—rooted in Zaydi Shiism—makes leadership succession complex. In a recent analysis for the Yemen Review, Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies noted: "Without a respected local Zaidi authority figure to mediate transition, the group could fracture, potentially requiring external intervention. In such a scenario, Iran’s backing could prove decisive."

The UK has emerged as Washington’s most prominent European partner in the latest operations. Most US strikes have been launched from the USS Harry S Truman stationed in the Red Sea, while additional long-range attacks have been conducted by USAF B-2 bombers from Diego Garcia, a British-administered Indian Ocean territory leased to the United States.

Since the escalation in mid-March, more than 750 strikes have been authorized against Houthi positions.