Pentagon Report: US Strikes on Yemen Killed a Lot of Civilians

Key Points:

• A Pentagon review revealed that three US strikes in Yemen during April 2025 killed 153 civilians and wounded nearly 250, marking the Trump administration's first public acknowledgment of significant noncombatant casualties since returning to office.
• Two strikes, including an April 17 attack on Ras Isa Port that killed 80 people and an April 28 strike killing 68 migrants in a detention site, are among the deadliest US strikes since 2001, according to rights advocates.
• The 50-day military operation followed Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and occurred after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismantled a Pentagon office focused on reducing civilian harm.
• Despite the high civilian toll, the Pentagon report concluded none of the incidents warranted condolence payments, a position criticized by experts as premature; 15 additional Yemen incidents remain under review amid a drastic reduction in civilian-harm investigators.
• Human rights groups have raised concerns about possible war crimes related to the Yemen strikes and question the Pentagon's claim of zero civilian casualties in US operations against drug traffickers in the Western Hemisphere.