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.
- One strike on the port killed 80 people and injured 171 others.
- U.S. Central Command assessed that these three strikes 'more likely than not' resulted in civilian harm.
- The Pentagon review determined that condolence payments were not appropriate for the three strikes.
A Pentagon review has confirmed that U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen last year resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians and injuries to 243 others. The assessment, sent to Congress, focused on three strikes in April 2025. One of these strikes, which targeted a port, was particularly deadly, killing 80 civilians and injuring 171. U.S. Central Command determined that these strikes 'more likely than not' caused civilian harm, based on intelligence, imagery, and open-source reporting.
The strikes were part of a broader U.S. campaign against the Houthis, who have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea, a vital global trade route. U.S. Central Command stated at the time that the strike was not intended to harm Yemeni civilians but aimed to degrade the Houthis' ability to generate revenue and terrorize the region. The Pentagon review concluded that condolence payments were not appropriate for these specific strikes, though the reasons were not explained.
Concerns over civilian casualties from U.S. military operations have been rising, particularly following a missile strike earlier this year that killed up to 168 people. Reports also indicate that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reduced the size of an office dedicated to minimizing civilian harm. The U.S. military campaign against the Houthis began in 2023 under the Biden administration after the militants started targeting commercial vessels, claiming solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.