Media: US denies responsibility for blast near UNESCO site in Sanaa, blames Houthi missile

The United States military on April 24 denied responsibility for a deadly explosion near a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, attributing the blast to a missile fired by Houthi forces.

The explosion, which occurred on April 20 close to the Old City of Sanaa, reportedly killed at least 12 people, according to the Houthi-controlled health ministry, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The Houthis had accused Washington of carrying out the strike.

However, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said the nearest American airstrike that evening was located more than 5 km from the blast site. "The damage and casualties described by Yemen's Houthi officials likely did occur, but they were not caused by a U.S. attack," the spokesperson said.

According to the U.S. assessment, the destruction was caused by a "Houthi air defence missile" and was based on a review of "local reporting, including videos documenting Arabic writing on the missile's fragments at the market." The official added that Houthi forces subsequently arrested several Yemenis, though no further evidence was provided.

A Houthi official, quoted by The New York Times, dismissed the U.S. account, calling it "an attempt to smear the Houthis."

The incident comes amid an escalation in U.S. military operations in Yemen, following President Donald Trump’s directive last month to intensify strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The U.S. has vowed to continue targeting Houthi military and economic assets until the group halts its attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Dozens have been killed in recent U.S. strikes, including 74 people at an oil terminal on April 17 — the deadliest single attack under Trump’s administration, according to local health officials.

While the Pentagon maintains that the operations aim to degrade the Houthis’ capabilities, rights groups have expressed concern over rising civilian casualties. Three Democratic senators, including Chris Van Hollen, wrote to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday calling for greater transparency and accountability over civilian harm.

The Houthis, who have controlled large parts of Yemen over the past decade, have stepped up their attacks in the Red Sea since November 2023. They claim their drone and missile assaults are aimed at vessels linked to Israel, in a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.

Gaza’s health ministry says over 51,000 people have been killed since Israel launched a military campaign in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes.

By Aghakazim Guliyev