U.S. Strikes on Yemen: A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds

Military operations have intensified in Yemen, leading to significant civilian casualties and further exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation, as U.S.-Iran tensions rise.

By Ismaeel Naar and Saeed Al-Batati

On April 17, Mohammed Omar Baghwi was among the many unsuspecting civilians working at Ras Isa port in Yemen's Hudaydah Province when U.S. military strikes commenced. Baghwi, a manager overseeing the filling of cooking gas cylinders, tragically lost his life in what has been described as one of the deadliest U.S. attacks in Yemen, claiming at least 74 lives.

U.S. Central Command justified the strikes, claiming they were aimed at degrading the economic capabilities of the Iran-backed Houthi militant group, which controls significant portions of Yemen. However, Baghwi's family argued that he was merely trying to earn a living under perilous conditions. "Mohammed and his companions had done nothing wrong," said his brother, Hassan Omar Baghwi, highlighting the innocence of those targeted in the military action.

In the backdrop of hostilities, the Houthis have launched drone and missile attacks on Israel, acting in solidarity with Hamas following its assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Their actions have included strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, triggering retaliatory airstrikes from both the U.S. and Israel over the past two months.

While U.S. and Israeli officials assert that their operations target Houthi leadership and infrastructure, these extensive bombing campaigns have resulted in a mounting civilian death toll, the destruction of essential services, and a deepening crisis in the Middle East's poorest country. Humanitarian agencies have raised alarms over the dire consequences these military actions have on the local population, who are already grappling with severe economic hardships and widespread suffering.