US strike kills dozens at Yemen migrant detention center, Yemeni officials say

LONDON -- An American overnight airstrike in Yemen killed at least 68 people at a migrant detention center in the Saada Governorate, according to the country's Civil Defense organization.

Another 47 people were injured in the strike in the city of Saada, in the northwest of the country, the Yemen Civil Defense said in a statement posted to Telegram on Monday morning.

The center housed around 100 African migrants, the Yemen Civil Defense said. There was no immediate U.S. comment on the strike.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it supported the Yemen Red Crescent Society in the emergency response to the strike on the detention facility, which it said "resulted in a high number of casualties, many of whom were migrants."

"It is unthinkable that while people are detained and have nowhere to escape, they can also be caught in the line of fire," Christine Cipolla, ICRC's head of delegation in Yemen, said in a statement. "This attack underscores how civilians in Yemen are increasingly exposed to death, grievous injury, and deepening psychological trauma."

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it was "deeply alarmed" by reports of air strikes hitting the migrant detention center.

"OCHA continues to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," the organization said in a statement.

A statement issued by the U.S. military's Central Command before the alleged attack on the migrants' center was reported said its "intense and sustained campaign" since March 15 has so far struck more than 800 targets and "killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials."

President Donald Trump's administration intensified the U.S. airstrike campaign against Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen from March 15, expanding a campaign that began under former President Joe Biden in response to Houthi attacks on commercial and military shipping and strikes on Israel.

The Houthis began their attacks in October 2023, in response to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza launched after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 abducted.

Central Command said its strikes "have degraded the pace and effectiveness of their attacks. Ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69%. Additionally, attacks from one way attack drones have decreased by 55%."

"U.S. strikes destroyed the ability of Ras Isa Port to accept fuel which will begin to impact Houthi ability to not only conduct operations, but also to generate millions of dollars in revenue for their terror activities," the statement read.

"Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Houthis," Central Command continued. "The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime."

"We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region," the command said.