U.S. Forces in Yemen

U.S. forces conducted the first known drone strike in Yemen in 2002, and have conducted periodic strikes against Al-Qaeda since 2009. In late 2023, Houthi militants began attacking shipping in the Red Sea in support of Palestinian militants in Gaza. In response, US-led forces began a campaign against the Houthis, with an escalation March-May 2025.

Airwars has documented all allegations of civilian harm from U.S. strikes in Yemen since 2009, and has produced a number of reports and investigations into the allegations of harm.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

442 – 640

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely U.S. Forces actions in Yemen for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the U.S. Forces. These originate from 152 separate alleged incidents.

90 – 110
children likely killed
38 – 57
women likely killed
470
likely injured
422
named victims

U.S. Forces estimate of civilian deaths

13

Confirmed civilian deaths, from U.S. Forces actions in Yemen, originating from 3 separate incidents of civilian harm.

2
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
548 – 824
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S. Forces actions in Yemen.
152 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
442 – 640
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S. Forces
96 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
39 – 52
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
30 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
67 – 132
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
26 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
0 seperate alleged incidents

Civilian Casualty Incidents — U.S. Forces in Yemen

Start Date

End Date

Strike Type

Causes of Death / Injury

Strike Status

Civilian Harm Status

Belligerent Assessment

Casualty

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444 incidents
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

28 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr194

Location

حدود البيضاء وشبوة, Border of Al Bayda and Shabwa, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 28th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America - one of six declared strikes that month. One local source, Huna Al-Bayda, reported that "three senior al Qaeda leaders were killed in an [US] airstrike by a drone on the border between al-Bayda…

Summary

Published
28 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr193

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 26th 2019, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. In a separate press release, US Central Command stated that all March 2019 strikes targeted AQAP. There were no other known local reports of a strike on that day according to our Arabic-language researchers,…

Summary

Published
26 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr191

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A confirmed US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 25th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. According to a later CENTCOM press release, all US strikes in March 2019 targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate. Multiple sources reported at the time that a drone,…

Summary

Published
25 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr192

Location

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen
A confirmed US airstrike took place in Bayda governorate on March 25th 2019, one of two on that day, a US Central Command spokesperson later told New America. According to a later CENTCOM press release, all US strikes in March 2019 targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate. Multiple sources reported at the time that a drone,…

Summary

Published
25 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr190

Location

معسكر الحازمية السلفي, Salafiya Al Hazmiya Camp, Al Bayda, Yemen
A number of US drone strikes reportedly targeted pro-government fighters in Hazmiya district in Bayda governorate, on March 25th 2019, killing at least five and injuring eight others.  A few sources instead indicated that a UAE drone had conducted the strikes, and one suggested that a Houthi ballistic missile was responsible for reported casualties.  Though…

Summary

Published
25 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

22 March 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr189

Location

مارب, Ma'rib, Yemen
A single local-language Twitter source, @wn4YYsr1zvokcHx, asserted that a US drone strike had killed seven AQAP militants travelling to Shabwa, on March 22nd 2019.  No other known sources reported the strike, and there was no known indication of civilian harm. In a later press release and in comments to New America, US Central Command stated…

Summary

Published
22 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident