Zürcher Nachrichten - UN 'alarmed' by US strikes in Yemen that Huthis say killed 68 migrants

The US military has hammered the Iran-backed Huthis with near-daily strikes since March 15 in an operation dubbed "Rough Rider", seeking to end their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Huthi-controlled media said the latest strikes on the movement's stronghold of Saada killed at least 68 people, all Africans being held at a "centre for illegal migrants".

A US defence official said the military was looking into the reports.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body was "deeply alarmed" by the reported strikes and urged "all parties" to protect civilians.

"We are saddened by the tragic loss of life where many of these migrants are believed to have been killed and injured," Dujarric added in a statement, without mentioning the United States.

He said that according to preliminary information, 68 migrants had been killed and another 48 injured in the overnight strikes.

AFP could not independently confirm the toll or the claim that the strikes had hit a migrant centre.

The US defence official said that the military was "aware of the claims of civilian casualties related to the US strikes in Yemen, and we take those claims very seriously".

"We are currently conducting our battle-damage assessment and inquiry into those claims," the official added on condition of anonymity.

On Sunday, the US said it had hit more than 800 targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing hundreds including Huthi leaders.

Hours later, Huthi media said the latest barrage by US forces had hit the migrant detention centre.

The Huthis' Al-Masirah TV showed footage of bodies stuck under the rubble and of rescuers working to help the casualties.

- 'Avoid civilian casualties' -

After the strikes, the International Committee of the Red Cross called on parties to "take every feasible precaution to avoid civilian casualties".

"It is unthinkable that while people are detained and have nowhere to escape, they can also be caught in the line of fire," said Christine Cipolla, head of the ICRC's delegation in Yemen.

The UN migration agency, the IOM, said it was closely monitoring the situation, but noted the facility in question was not managed by their personnel.

Each year, tens of thousands of migrants brave the Red Sea route from the Horn of Africa, seeking to escape conflict, natural disasters and poor economic prospects by sailing towards the oil-rich Gulf.

Many hope for employment as labourers or domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries, though they face a perilous journey through war-torn Yemen.

The US strikes are in response to attacks by the Huthis targeting Israeli and Western vessels in the Red Sea in what the rebels describe as solidarity with the Palestinians, starting shortly after Hamas conducted the worst-ever attack on Israel in October 2023.

The Huthi attacks have forced many shipping companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa, instead of passing through the Suez Canal -- a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global trade.

In a statement that provided its most detailed accounting of the operation so far, the US military command responsible for the Middle East said it had "struck over 800 targets" in Yemen, killing "hundreds of Huthi fighters and numerous Huthi leaders".

"The strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, and advanced weapons storage locations," CENTCOM said.

- 'We will continue' -

Despite the strikes, the Huthis, who control large swaths of Yemen, have continued to claim attacks against both US vessels and Israel.

In a statement on Monday, the Huthis said they had responded to the latest "attacks and massacres against civilians" by targeting the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier with "several cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones".

Iran, which backs the Huthis, condemned the US strikes, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei calling attacks "on civilian targets... a war crime".

The United States first began conducting strikes against the Huthis under former president Joe Biden's administration, but they have intensified under his successor Donald Trump.

CENTCOM said that "our operations have degraded the pace and effectiveness of their attacks" which are only possible "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," it added.

The US Navy said Monday that a warplane went overboard into the Red Sea as a result of an accident on the USS Harry S. Truman, adding that the incident was under investigation.

D.Smith--NZN