Pentagon Tells Congress US Strikes in Yemen Killed 153 Civilians in 2025

The Pentagon told Congress that U.S. military operations in 2025 killed 153 civilians and wounded 243, with the department’s assessment attributing all recorded 2025 civilian deaths and injuries to three U.S. strikes in Yemen in April.

“resulted in 153 civilians killed and another 243 individuals injured”

The Hill

The Hill reported that the first instance occurred on April 6 at a residence in Sanaa, where five civilians were killed and another 25 were injured in U.S. air strikes.

A News

The Hill said the second attack took place on April 17 at the Ras Isa port in Yemen, ending with 80 civilians killed and 171 injured.

The Hill added that a third strike on April 28, 2025 in the vicinity of Saada resulted in 47 civilians killed and 68 injured.

The Pentagon also told Congress that 15 incidents related to the Houthi airstrikes were under review, according to The Hill.

Human Rights Watch said in June last year that the April 17 attack at the Ras Isa port should be investigated as a war crime, as The Hill reported.

Amnesty International’s investigation from October last year into the migrant detention center said the April 28 strike killed and injured "dozens" of African migrants, and that "many" of the migrants were held by Houthis "solely for their irregular immigration status".

Al-Jazeera Net

The Hill quoted Amnesty International deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa Kristine Beckerle saying, "This was a lethal failure by the US to comply with one of its core obligations under international humanitarian law,".

The Pentagon’s report, as described by CBS News, stated that "more likely than not" five civilians were killed on April 6 near the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, 80 were killed on April 17 near Ras Isa Port and another 68 were killed on April 28 near Saada.

CBS News also said the Pentagon acknowledged the tally did not include any deaths from airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, which it described as "controversial".

The Hill said the airstrikes followed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea early last year, with President Trump authorizing airstrikes against the rebels in March in an operation dubbed "Operation Rough Rider."

“President Trumpauthorized airstrikes against the rebelsin March in an operation dubbed “Operation Rough Rider””

The Hill

CBS News reported that from March to May 2025, the U.S. military bombed targets in Yemen related to the Iran-backed Houthis to prevent the group from attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea.

CBS News said the Pentagon report relied on U.S. intelligence, imagery and public reporting and did not conduct site visits or interviews to make the assessments.

The Hill reported that the Pentagon’s 12-page report was signed by Colby Jenkins, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism (IWCT), and was sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Hill also said the Pentagon is required to provide Congress with an annual report on civilian casualties under Section 1057 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, and that a Pentagon official told The Hill that in the "coming months" the department will submit its annual report regarding casualties from U.S. military operations during the 2025 calendar year.