A deadly airstrike in northern Yemen has left over 60 people dead and dozens more injured, most of them Ethiopian migrants, after U.S.-made bombs struck a detention center in the Houthi-controlled city of Saada.
Survivors of the April 28 strike say they were caught off guard in the middle of the night as explosions ripped through the building, collapsing its roof and sending shards of metal and concrete flying. Eyewitnesses describe a horrifying scene of bodies mangled, limbs severed, and survivors buried beneath rubble.
Most of the detainees were migrants from Ethiopia’s conflict-ridden Tigray region, fleeing civil war and economic hardship. Many had attempted to reach Saudi Arabia through Yemen — a common route despite extreme dangers — but were captured by Houthi authorities and imprisoned for alleged immigration or criminal offenses.
Fanta Ali Ahmed, one of the wounded survivors, said he fled the war in Ethiopia only to be struck by bombs while in detention. He now suffers from multiple fractures and is hospitalized in Saada.
While no party has officially claimed responsibility, fragments of GBU-39 small-diameter bombs, which are manufactured in the United States, were found at the site. The U.S. Central Command acknowledged awareness of civilian casualty claims and said it is investigating the incident, but has offered no specific confirmation.
The prison had previously been used as a military facility and was targeted by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in 2022. However, according to U.N. inspectors, the site had no visible military activity during more recent visits.
Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation, raising serious questions about U.S. compliance with international humanitarian law.
The strike occurred during a wider U.S.-led campaign against Houthi positions in Yemen, launched in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea and drone strikes toward Israel. The Trump administration resumed airstrikes in March 2025, conducting over 1,000 strikes so far, according to the Pentagon.
Yemen continues to serve as a perilous corridor for migrants from the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea, many of whom face violence, exploitation, or death along the way. The Eastern Route, as it is called, remains one of the most dangerous migration paths in the world.
“I was fleeing death,” said one injured migrant, “only to find death waiting for me here.”