A U.S. airstrike reportedly struck a detention facility in Yemen’s northern Saada province on Monday, killing at least 68 people and injuring 47 others, according to local media reports.
The site was said to be holding African migrants, many of whom were attempting to transit through Yemen en route to Saudi Arabia for work.
The U.S. military has not confirmed the strike. In a statement issued prior to the reports, U.S. Central Command reiterated its policy of operational secrecy, stating, “We are very deliberate in our operational approach but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do.”
Footage broadcast by local outlets showed bodies and wounded individuals at the site of the explosion, as medics worked amid debris and damage to the building’s structure. Reports suggest that over 100 migrants were being held in the facility at the time of the strike.
The strike occurred in the context of “Operation Rough Rider,” an ongoing U.S. military campaign targeting militia infrastructure in Yemen. The U.S. says the operation aims to restore security in the Red Sea and deter further attacks on international shipping and allied nations.
In a separate incident, at least eight people were reported killed in overnight U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s capital. The U.S. military has acknowledged carrying out over 800 airstrikes in the region in recent months, claiming to have killed numerous combatants and leaders associated with missile and drone operations.
The facility struck on Monday is the same location that was hit in a controversial 2022 airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition, which resulted in 66 deaths. A later UN report criticized that strike, stating it was a known detention center.
African migrants traveling through Yemen have long faced dangerous conditions, including detention, abuse, and in some cases death. Previous reports by the United Nations have documented incidents of cross-border violence affecting migrants along the Saudi-Yemeni border.
As tensions in the region persist, U.S. forces continue to operate from aircraft carriers in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. A strike on April 18 targeting the Ras Isa fuel port reportedly killed 74 people. The U.S. said the port was being used to fund and support militant operations.
In a separate development, authorities in northern Yemen have issued warnings against the use of Starlink satellite internet devices, ordering residents to surrender the equipment or face arrest. The move is seen as part of broader efforts to control information flow from areas affected by conflict.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
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