DaysofPal- Nearly 70 people were killed in a US airstrike that targeted a shelter housing African migrants in Yemen’s northern Sa’ada province, in what observers have described as a grave escalation of violence. According to Ansar Allah (Houthi) media outlets, the number of victims from Monday’s attack has risen to 68 dead and 47 wounded.
The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel, citing the Civil Defense Authority, reported that the US strike directly hit the shelter for irregular migrants in Sa’ada city, causing widespread destruction. Broadcast footage showed chaotic scenes of injured migrants being transported for medical care and the scattered bodies of victims amid the rubble.
The Interior Ministry of the Houthi-led government stated that the center operated under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross. It condemned the attack, calling it a “full-fledged war crime.” The channel also reported that one of the US missiles failed to explode upon impact and is being handled with extreme caution by authorities.
This latest strike follows another US operation on Sunday evening, in which eight civilians, including women and children, were killed after US forces targeted three residential homes in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a.
The US military has acknowledged that since mid-March, it has carried out over 800 strikes in Yemen. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the US Central Command (CENTCOM) described its actions as part of an “intensive and sustained campaign” against the Houthi movement. The campaign, it claimed, aims to “restore freedom of navigation” and “reassert US deterrence” in the region.
CENTCOM asserted that the strikes have resulted in the killing of hundreds of Houthi fighters and leaders, as well as the destruction of key military infrastructure, including command and control centers, air defense systems, and weapons manufacturing facilities. However, it acknowledged that it deliberately limits details about ongoing or future operations, citing operational security.
Recent US strikes have caused significant casualties, including an attack on an oil port in mid-April that killed at least 74 people. The mounting civilian toll has drawn international condemnation.
The Intercept reported that progressive members of the US Congress have sent a letter to President Trump, demanding he justify the legal basis for the military campaign in Yemen.
Human rights groups have also raised alarms over the civilian deaths. In a separate letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, Chris Van Hollen and three other Democratic senators called for accountability for the civilian casualties. Hegseth has faced criticism for reportedly using the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive operational plans regarding the strikes on Yemen.
Washington says the strikes aim to destroy the Houthis’ military and economic capabilities while minimizing harm to civilians. On the other hand, the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) has made it clear time and again that it uses ballistic missiles to launch military operations against military installations and locations within Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people.
Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in more than 168,000 Palestinians killed and wounded, most of them children and women, along with over 11,000 missing persons.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=62435
