US Strikes Yemen Detention Center, Killing Dozens of Ethiopian Civilians
A devastating airstrike carried out by the US military in Yemen has killed at least 61 Ethiopians and injured another 56, according to reports from Amnesty International. The attack on an immigrant detention center in Sa'ada, Yemen's northwest, took place on April 28, 2025, and was part of a broader campaign of air and naval strikes against the Houthi government during the Trump administration.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as "chaotic" with people buried under rubble for hours before being rescued. Survivors told Amnesty International that they were unable to see any military targets in the facility and had never seen any Houthi fighters present during their detention.
Amnesty's researchers analyzed satellite imagery, video footage, and interviewed 15 survivors of the attack, as well as witnesses who visited the facility after the strike. They concluded that the US authorities should have known that the building was a migrant detention center and did not comply with international humanitarian law.
The report calls for an investigation into the attack as a war crime and demands reparations to be provided to the victims or their families. The Pentagon has acknowledged taking reports of civilian harm seriously but failed to provide any concrete information about the strike, citing ongoing investigations.
The airstrike was part of Operation Rough Rider, which aimed to target Houthi leaders and infrastructure in Yemen. However, it appears that many civilians were caught in the crossfire, highlighting concerns over the lack of transparency and accountability in US military operations.
Experts have warned that such attacks could be indicative of a larger problem with civilian harm mitigation and targeting practices under Trump's administration. As the situation continues to unfold, The Intercept will provide updates and analysis on this developing story.
A devastating airstrike carried out by the US military in Yemen has killed at least 61 Ethiopians and injured another 56, according to reports from Amnesty International. The attack on an immigrant detention center in Sa'ada, Yemen's northwest, took place on April 28, 2025, and was part of a broader campaign of air and naval strikes against the Houthi government during the Trump administration.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as "chaotic" with people buried under rubble for hours before being rescued. Survivors told Amnesty International that they were unable to see any military targets in the facility and had never seen any Houthi fighters present during their detention.
Amnesty's researchers analyzed satellite imagery, video footage, and interviewed 15 survivors of the attack, as well as witnesses who visited the facility after the strike. They concluded that the US authorities should have known that the building was a migrant detention center and did not comply with international humanitarian law.
The report calls for an investigation into the attack as a war crime and demands reparations to be provided to the victims or their families. The Pentagon has acknowledged taking reports of civilian harm seriously but failed to provide any concrete information about the strike, citing ongoing investigations.
The airstrike was part of Operation Rough Rider, which aimed to target Houthi leaders and infrastructure in Yemen. However, it appears that many civilians were caught in the crossfire, highlighting concerns over the lack of transparency and accountability in US military operations.
Experts have warned that such attacks could be indicative of a larger problem with civilian harm mitigation and targeting practices under Trump's administration. As the situation continues to unfold, The Intercept will provide updates and analysis on this developing story.
... what can you even say about an airstrike that kills dozens of civilians who are not even soldiers or fighters? it's like a nightmare come true... i mean, think about it, these were people just trying to make a life for themselves in a foreign country, and then they get caught up in the middle of this conflict between the US and the Houthi government. 
I'm still trying to process what happened in Yemen... so many innocent lives lost 
61 people killed, 56 injured 
it's just heartbreaking. I can only imagine the families of those who were killed, still waiting for answers and justice. 
We need to hold our governments accountable for such actions 
international humanitarian law is clear - we should all be outraged by this. 
my heart goes out to the Ethiopians who suffered in that airstrike 
. trump admin is gettin a bad rep for this stuff... hope dey face consequences
. And the fact that they claim not to have seen any Houthi fighters there is super suspicious... did they really think no one would get hurt in the crossfire? 
Amnesty International's report makes total sense - the US should be held accountable for this war crime! 
We need to know more about what happened and who's responsible. This whole thing stinks of a bigger issue with civilian harm mitigation... can't trust the Pentagon on this one 
The whole "lack of transparency and accountability" thing is what's really getting me - it feels like they're trying to sweep this under the rug 
. What's the point of even having a human rights investigation if you're not going to take concrete action? 
This is really disturbing... I mean, I knew it was going to happen at some point, but still, 61 people dead? That's a huge number, especially when you think about how many lives are lost in these conflicts. It makes me sad, thinking about all those families who are left behind.
. And I love that there are experts warning about civilian harm mitigation and targeting practices - it's like, we gotta get smarter about how we're using our military powers 
.
. They shouldn't have been caught in the middle of this conflict 
.
it's like they're playing with people's lives like they don't even matter. and the fact that the pentagon is just sitting on this info without saying anything is super sketchy... how can we trust them to be transparent about these operations? 
... hope they get to the bottom of this though 
. Like the US military is just trying to kick some Houthi butt without even bothering to check if there are civilians nearby. And now they're all denying anything happened? Give me a break 
and a real explanation for what happened. We can't keep letting this kind of thing slide because of some "ongoing investigations" 
. gotta ask, what's going on with these US military operations? so much destruction and human suffering, but no clear answers from anyone