The Department of War (DOW) told Congress on Aug. 10 that U.S. airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen killed 153 civilians and wounded 243 others in 2025, according to its annual civilian casualty report.
The report, submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee, covered casualties from three strikes in the U.S. bombing campaign against the Houthis and did not include casualties from operations in the Pacific or the Caribbean, Just the News reported [1][2]. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) assessed three operations in Yemen that "more likely than not" resulted in civilian deaths and injuries [3].
The acknowledgment followed criticism of earlier casualty accounting. Antiwar.com reported that the War Department acknowledged "two large-scale massacres of civilians" in Yemen during the campaign that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dubbed "Operation Rough Rider." [4]
Pentagon Review of Civilian Casualties
The department's review was conducted by CENTCOM, which said it assessed 18 incidents in Yemen based on reports gathered through nongovernmental organizations. The command determined that three operations "more likely than not" caused civilian deaths or injuries and said it was still assessing 15 other incidents [3]. The report's total may therefore change as those reviews conclude.
Middle East Eye reported that the 12-page document detailed three incidents from April 2025. On April 6, five civilians were killed in Sanaa and on April 17, a strike on Ras Isa port killed 80 people. A third incident from the same month was also detailed in the report [2].
Reactions From Yemeni and Monitoring Groups
Independent monitors have disputed the War Department's casualty count. Antiwar.com said the figure of 153 killed was "a significant undercount" based on records kept by the Yemen Data Project [4]. RT reported that the DOW's annual estimate drew accusations of "whitewashing" U.S. military actions [5].
Concerns about official casualty counts are not limited to Yemen. In "The Untold History of the United States," Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick wrote that "an accurate count of civilian casualties was hard to come by" in U.S. drone campaigns. They reported that a Pakistani photographer found that "for every 10 to 15 people killed," "maybe they get one militant," and that the New America Foundation placed the civilian toll at 20% [6].
The report described assessments by CENTCOM and nongovernmental reports, but it did not describe an independent verification mechanism [3].
Background of U.S. Operations in Yemen
The United States has carried out repeated airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. NaturalNews.com reported in May 2025 that the White House faced criticism for withholding casualty figures from a Yemen campaign that included more than 1,000 strikes [7].
A separate report found that the United States had spent nearly $1 billion on strikes against the Houthis without crippling their ability to attack Red Sea shipping [8].
Difficulties in documenting civilian deaths have marked earlier U.S. campaigns. Tom Engelhardt and Glenn Greenwald wrote that U.S. military power has been "remarkably discredited globally" and that resistance arises in countries where it operates [9].
In Pakistan, Stone and Kuznick noted that official estimates were contested and that independent researchers put civilian deaths at a far higher share than military accounts acknowledged [6].
Status of Accountability Measures
The War Department has not said whether the conclusions will result in disciplinary action or changes to targeting procedures. The report said CENTCOM was still assessing 15 incidents, and the published total could change as those reviews conclude [3]. The report's release came as the Houthis resumed attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, according to Middle East Eye [10].
In July 2026, President Donald Trump suggested restarting the Yemen bombing campaign after Ansar Allah announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. NaturalNews.com reported that the announcement came one week after Saudi warplanes bombed Sanaa International Airport on July 13 [11].
References
- Just the News. "Pentagon says US military operations killed more than 150 civilians in 2025". August 11, 2026.
- Middle East Eye. "Pentagon admits to killing 153 civilians last year in Yemen: Report". August 12, 2026.
- The Epoch Times. "US Airstrikes in Yemen Killed 153 Civilians, Injured 243: Pentagon". August 12, 2026.
- Antiwar.com. "Pentagon Admits To Committing Major Civilian Massacres in Yemen Last Year". August 12, 2026.
- RT.com. "Pentagon accused of 'whitewashing' civilian casualties". August 12, 2026.
- Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick. "The Untold History of the United States".
- NaturalNews.com. "White House conceals casualty figures in unilateral Yemen campaign amid policy shifts and growing backlash". May 6, 2025.
- NaturalNews.com. "US spends nearly 1 billion in Yemen strikes with little to show as Houthis escalate attacks". April 7, 2025.
- Tom Engelhardt and Glenn Greenwald. "Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State".
- Middle East Eye. "Pentagon tells Congress US killed 153 civilians in Yemen air strikes". August 12, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "Trump Suggests Restarting Yemen Bombing Campaign After Houthi Red Sea Blockade". July 23, 2026.
- TheCradle.com "Pentagon confirms killing at least 150 civilians during US war on Yemen". August 13, 2026.
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