Michigan, May 23, 2025 – The American Center for Justice (ACJ) expresses its deep concern over the powerful explosion that occurred on the morning of Thursday, May 22, 2025, in the Khoshm Al-Bakrah area, east of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a. The blast was caused by the detonation of an underground weapons depot belonging to the Houthi group, located between the Khashm Al-Bakrah and Sarf neighborhoods.
According to medical sources and field testimonies, the explosion resulted in the deaths and injuries of more than 60 civilians, including women and children. Most of the casualties were transported to hospitals including Zayed, Al-Muayyad, Saudi German, the Military Hospital, and the Police Hospital. Dozens are still believed to be trapped under the rubble, while at least ten homes were completely destroyed.
Field reports confirm that the warehouse contained surface-to-air missiles and large quantities of high explosives, including sodium nitrate (NaNO₃), potassium nitrate (KNO₃), and the military-grade explosive C4.
The ACJ has documented the imposition of a strict security cordon by Houthi forces around the explosion site, extending from the Al-Malikah area in Bani Hashish to Zayed Hospital. Access to the area was denied to the media and humanitarian aid teams. Armed personnel from the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service, deployed from the Sarf military camp, and additional reinforcements from the Military Engineering College were seen securing the area, suggesting an active effort to conceal the true scale of the disaster and its catastrophic impact on civilians.
In a separate incident on the same day, field sources reported the explosion of a missile during a failed launch attempt by Houthi forces near Sana’a International Airport. The blast destroyed a military vehicle north of the terminal and resulted in several fatalities among the group’s fighters.
In light of this grave humanitarian crisis, the American Center for Justice calls for:
– An urgent and independent international investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and ensure accountability in line with international law;
– The immediate removal of all weapons depots and explosive materials from residential areas;
– Concrete measures and enforceable guarantees to protect civilians from such irresponsible practices, which constitute clear violations of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
– Full accountability for Houthi leaders involved in storing weapons in populated neighborhoods;
– Immediate and unrestricted access for humanitarian organizations and human rights monitors to the blast site, to provide assistance, document violations, and verify the fate of families still trapped under the rubble.
The American Center for Justice emphasizes that the continued militarization of civilian spaces is a grave breach of international law and a direct threat to the lives and safety of innocent people. ACJ reaffirms its commitment to justice and the protection of civilians in Yemen.
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