Houthi-controlled media in Yemen reported Monday that U.S. airstrikes targeted a migrant detention centre in Saada, killing at least 35 people. The U.S. military has been carrying out near-daily airstrikes since March 15 under Operation Rough Rider, aimed at ending the threat the Iran-backed Houthis pose to vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
For more than a year, the Houthis have launched strikes against Israel and Western vessels, including U.S. warships, claiming solidarity with Palestinians since Hamas initiated war in Gaza with its unprecedented attack on Israel in October 2023.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday that it has struck more than 800 targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing hundreds of Houthi fighters, including several leaders.
On Monday, the Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV network claimed that U.S. strikes hit a detention centre housing African migrants, with 35 bodies recovered from the rubble. “Civil defence teams and the Red Crescent are continuing their efforts at the scene of the American crime,” the network reported.
AFP was unable to independently verify the Houthi claim and has contacted the U.S. military for comment. The Houthis’ interior ministry stated that the facility housed 115 African migrants. Al-Masirah aired footage showing bodies under debris and rescuers at the site.
The Houthis, like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are heavily supported by Iran, Israel’s arch-rival.
Since late 2023, Houthi attacks have severely disrupted shipping through the Suez Canal, a critical route for global trade, forcing vessels to reroute around southern Africa at great cost.
In its statement, CENTCOM highlighted that Operation Rough Rider has successfully destroyed command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing sites, and storage locations.
Despite the offensive, Houthi forces, who control large parts of Yemen and have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, have continued to claim attacks on U.S. vessels and Israel.
CENTCOM reported that ballistic missile launches by the Houthis have decreased by 69%, and drone attacks by 55%.
“Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis,” CENTCOM said, vowing continued military pressure “until the objective is met, the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region.”
