Mysterious” U.S. Airstrikes in Yemen Spark Legal Debate: Violation of Sovereignty and Lack of Accountability International reports speak of secret airstrikes during 2025 and 2026 amid official American silence
An international magazine confirms that the continuation of U.S. operations without official announcement opens the door to potential violations of international law and increases the risk of civilian casualties.
NYN | Reports and Analyses
U.S. airstrikes in Yemen have raised a wave of legal and political questions regarding their legitimacy, amid accusations of violating the country’s sovereignty, in the absence of any official announcement from Washington confirming the conduct of military operations since 2020.
Just Security magazine stated that the American strikes remain largely shrouded in ambiguity, noting that the United States has not issued any official acknowledgment of launching raids against what is known as “Al-Qaeda” in recent years, despite Yemeni and foreign reports circulating about aerial operations carried out during 2025 and 2026.
Strikes Without Announcement… Operations Attributed to Washington
The magazine explained that media reports spoke of strikes that occurred in May and November 2025, in addition to other operations during the current year, reflecting the continuation of a pattern of “covert operations” without clarification of their objectives or scope.
Lack of Transparency Hinders Accountability and Increases Civilian Risk
The magazine emphasized that the absence of transparency represents a serious obstacle to accountability, particularly with regard to potential civilian casualties, considering that this situation raises the risk of U.S. involvement in military operations whose features and strategic objectives remain unclear.
It added that the continuation of strikes without official documentation or clear announcement contradicts the principles of international law and the rules of armed conflict, and provides broad space for violations that may pass without oversight or investigation.
Targeting Boats in 2025… Signs of “Undeclared” Escalation
According to the report, some of the operations suspected to have been carried out during 2025 included targeting boats, further complicating the situation and deepening what the magazine described as “strategic ambiguity” regarding the nature of the American role in Yemen.
Calls to Ensure Accountability and Prevent Violations
The magazine concluded that the continuation of this type of covert operation exacerbates the opacity surrounding the Yemeni file, stressing that transparency has become an urgent necessity to ensure accountability, prevent violations, and reduce the risk of civilian casualties.
