Washington: US Yemen strikes killed 153 civilians and injured 243 across three April 2025 attacks, according to a Pentagon report sent to Congress.
The Pentagon sits near Washington, the capital of the United States in North America. Its assessment covered Yemen, whose capital, Sanaa, lies in the Middle East.
The report said US Central Command found civilian harm “more likely than not” in all three attacks. The US Yemen strikes formed part of a campaign against Iran-backed Houthi forces threatening Red Sea shipping.
A strike in Sanaa on April 6 killed five civilians and injured 25, according to the report’s incident table. The April 17 strike at Ras Isa port killed 80 and injured 171.
The same table attributed 68 deaths and 47 injuries to an April 28 strike near Saada. However, the accompanying narrative reversed those two figures. The report’s overall totals align with the table.
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Military assessors used US intelligence, imagery and open-source reporting for each incident. The report said involved units conducted no witness interviews or site visits because the operational areas remained contested.
The Pentagon determined that ex gratia payments were inappropriate for all three incidents. The document did not provide a detailed explanation for those decisions.
US Central Command said the Ras Isa operation targeted fuel infrastructure that generated revenue for Houthi military activity. At the time, the command said it did not intend to harm Yemen’s population.
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The report said the Yemen mission targets Houthi capabilities affecting the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have attacked commercial shipping and Israel since the Gaza war began.
US Central Command was still assessing 15 other incidents after receiving reports from nongovernmental organisations. Any confirmed casualties could increase the official total.
