United States: United States military air strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and surrounding regions have killed dozens and wounded many more.
According to media reports, at least eight people were killed in a US strike targeting the Bani al-Harith district north of Sanaa. Additional strikes hit Yemen’s Amran and Saada governorates with two more fatalities reported earlier in Sanaa.
The victims include children and women following the attack in the Thaqban area of Bani al-Harith. Separately, a devastating strike on a migrant detention centre in Saada reportedly killed 30 people. The facility was housing around 100 migrants, mainly from Ethiopia and other African nations, who had been detained while attempting to cross Yemen en route to Saudi Arabia.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 27, 2025
Graphic footage broadcast by Al Masirah showed the aftermath of the attack, highlighting the susceptibility of migrants caught in Yemen’s conflict. The Houthi rebels have been accused of profiting from the smuggling of migrants across the border, despite the high risks of detainment, abuse, and violence.
The latest strikes bring the reported death toll from US operations in Yemen to 228, based on Houthi casualty announcements. The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had carried out more than 800 strikes across Yemen since launching its campaign on March 15. CENTCOM stated that hundreds of Houthi fighters and several commanders had been killed but did not provide figures on civilian casualties.
CENTCOM stated that, “To preserve operational security, we have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations.”
The US has maintained that the strikes target Houthi forces in response to their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and missile launches against Israel. The Houthis, in turn, claim their operations are in retaliation for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The deadliest known US strike so far occurred on April 18, when at least 74 people were killed and 171 injured at Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port, according to reports. The escalation of US military operations coincides with President Donald Trump’s intensified efforts to pressure Iran, the main backer of the Houthis into negotiations over a new nuclear agreement.
US strikes are being conducted from two aircraft carriers deployed in the region: the USS Harry S Truman in the Red Sea and the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea. Despite the ongoing bombardment, Houthi forces continue to fire missiles at Israel, US military drones, and vessels operating in the Red Sea.
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