Yemen's Houthis say 68 killed in U.S. strikes on migrant center

The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, said that U.S. strikes hit a migrant detention center and killed at least 68 people in the northern province of Saada. 

The U.S. military has hammered the Houthis with near-daily strikes since March 15 in an operation dubbed "Rough Rider," seeking to end the threat they pose to vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis launched strikes targeting Israel and Western vessels in the Red Sea, in what they describe as solidarity with the Palestinians, since Hamas launched the attack on Israel in October 2023.

Yesterday, the U.S. military said it has hit more than 800 targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing hundreds of Houthi rebels including members of the group's leadership.

This morning, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said U.S. strikes had targeted a detention center for African migrants, and that 68 people were killed.

According to a statement cited by Al-Masirah from the Houthi administration's interior ministry, the center housed "115 migrants, all from Africa".

The Houthis began targeting shipping in late 2023, preventing ships from passing through the Suez Canal – a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global trade – forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa.

Al-Masirah TV yesterday reported that U.S. strikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa had killed at least eight people and wounded others.

The U.S. military has said it will not reveal specific details about its military strikes in Yemen, citing what it called the need "to preserve operational security" while also saying the strikes had "lethal effects" on Houthi rebels.

(With input from AFP)