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

14 April 2012

Incident Code

USYEM060-B

Location

الزاهر, Zahir district, Al Bayda, Yemen
Yemen defense officials announced that an alleged American unmanned drone allegedly struck a car that included a number of Ansar al Sharia and Al Qaeda members in the al Zahir district of Bayda province on April 14, 2012, killing between three and eight militants. The nighttime raid turned the car into a “collection of charred…

Summary

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

Incident Date

11 April 2012

Incident Code

USYEM059-B

Location

العين, Loder village, Al Ain, Lawdar district, Abyan, Yemen
On the evening of Wednesday April 11th 2012, an airstrike allegedly by Yemeni forces or US drone strikes which hit a car with suspected Al Qaeda militants killed between two and fourteen militants and injuring between seven and 10 others, near the town of Lawder in the Abyan governorate, an area on a key highway…

Summary

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

Incident Date

7–8 April, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM057-B

Location

الصحراء بين محافظتي شبوة ومأرب, Desert road between Shabwa and Ma’rib governorates, Ma'rib, Yemen
Up to eight members of Al Qaeda were reported killed in an alleged US drone strike on a moving vehicle in Shabwa province, on the desert road between Shabwa and Ma’rib governorates, on April 7/8, 2012. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm. The Wall Street Journal reported that the target was AQAP…

Summary

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

Incident Date

7–8 April, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM058-B

Location

الكود, Al Kawd, Khanfir district, Abyan, Yemen
Between 16 and 24 militants were killed in a series of alleged US or Yemeni airstrikes on Al Kawd village in the governorate of Abyan on April 8th, 2012, according to local sources. There were no reports of harm to civilians. According to a tweet from @hbashrbash, 24 Al Qaeda militants were killed in naval…

Summary

Published
8 April 2012
Strike Type
Naval bombardment, Airstrike and/or Artillery
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1–3 April, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM056-B

Location

لحج‎, أبين‎, Lahj and Abyan governorates, Abyan, Yemen
As many as 43 ‘suspected Al Qaeda militants’ were killed and dozens of others were wounded in alleged US drone strikes and/or Yemeni air and artillery strikes in the Al Harur area of Lahj and Abyan governorates between 1-3 April 2012. The strikes were part of continuous raids by joint Yemeni land, sea, and air…

Summary

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

Incident Date

30 March 2012

Incident Code

USYEM054-C

Location

عزان, Azzan, Shabwa, Yemen
Initial reports suggested that one civilian was killed and six to eight civilians, including three to six children, were injured in an alleged US drone strike targeting a vehicle allegedly carrying AQAP members, in the city of Azzan in Shabwa Province at 4pm on the 30th of March 2012. A later report by Akkarama on…

Summary

Published
30 March 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
6–8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident