Key facts
- The Pentagon confirmed 153 civilians were killed and 243 injured in U.S. strikes in Yemen in 2025.
- All civilian casualties occurred during three U.S. strikes in April 2025.
- The U.S. Central Command assessed that these three strikes 'more likely than not' resulted in civilian harm.
- The Pentagon is assessing 15 additional incidents in Yemen reported by NGOs.
- These strikes were part of efforts to degrade Iran-backed Houthi capabilities.
The Pentagon has confirmed that U.S. military operations in Yemen during 2025 resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians and injuries to 243 others. This assessment, submitted to Congress, attributes all the reported civilian harm to three specific U.S. strikes conducted in April 2025. The U.S. Central Command assessed that these strikes 'more likely than not' caused civilian casualties.
The U.S. military stated its aim is to degrade the capabilities of Iran-backed Houthi militants. The Pentagon report also noted that as of February 2026, 15 other incidents in Yemen were under assessment by the U.S. Central Command, following reports from non-governmental organizations. These figures do not include casualties from separate U.S. strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which targeted vessels accused of transporting narcotics.
In contrast, the Pentagon's assessment for 2024 indicated only two civilians were killed and two injured by U.S. military operations.