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

Infrastructure

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444 incidents
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

28 July 2012

Incident Code

USYEM114-N

Location

المحفد, Mahfad, Abyan, Yemen
On July 28th 2012 alleged Yemeni or US fighter jets bombed two suspected Al Qaeda hideouts in the Mahfad district of the Abyan Province with an unknown number of casualties as reported by Xinhua news who got their information from a local security official and a local resident. The security official quoted by Xinhua news…

Summary

Published
28 July 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2012

Incident Code

USYEM113-B

Location

المحفد, Mahfad, Abyan, Yemen
On the night of July 23rd 2012 around 11pm, alleged US or Yemeni warplanes launched two strikes against two supposed Al Qaeda hideouts in the al-Mahfad district in the south of the Abyan Province; five alleged Al Qaeda militants were killed in these strikes according to the Associated Press. Local twitter users and a local…

Summary

Published
23 July 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

4 July 2012

Incident Code

USYEM112-B

Location

المحفد, al-Mahfad, Abyan, Yemen
Alleged Yemeni or US airstrikes on July 4th 2012 in al-Mahfad, Abyan province reportedly killed between three and 13 Al Qaeda militants and injured up to seven militants. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm. Yemen Post, Naharnet, and Mareb Press reported that the raid was carried out against the position of Al…

Summary

Published
4 July 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

3 July 2012

Incident Code

USYEM111-B

Location

بيحان‎, Bayhan district, Shabwa, Yemen
On July 3rd 2012, an alleged US drone strike killed two to six members of Al Qaeda and injured two in a car traveling in the Beihan district of the Shabwah Province. Witnesses stated the drone was American, a claim later supported by news reports. Fox News quoting an official identified two of the dead…

Summary

Published
3 July 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 June 2012

Incident Code

USYEM110-B

Location

بئر حميد, Bir Hamid, Aden, Yemen
On June 25th, 2012, a declared US drone strike hit two vehicles in the outskirts of Aden in Bir Hamid at dawn. Three alleged AQAP members were killed, while several others were wounded. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm. The identities of those killed were not reported, but a source told the…

Summary

Published
25 June 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

20 June 2012

Incident Code

USYEM108-C

Location

المحفد, Mahfed district, Abyan, Yemen
On the 20th of June 2012, an airstrike allegedly by US or Yemeni forces in northern Abyan killed Hussein Saleh (35), a worker with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), multiple sources, such as Reuters, reported. Al-Sahwa Net also reported that seven militants were killed and 10 others were wounded in the same…

Summary

Published
20 June 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident