Wall Street Journal: Classified Report Reveals Extent of Civilian Casualties from U.S. Strikes in Yemen
Pentagon assessment acknowledges 153 civilians killed and 243 injured in three strikes during April 2025, with 15 additional incidents still under
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The Wall Street Journal revealed details of an internal assessment prepared by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which includes official acknowledgment of the extent of civilian casualties resulting from a series of U.S. strikes conducted in Yemen during 2025.
According to the report submitted to congressional defense committees, a U.S. military review showed that three airstrikes carried out in Yemen in April 2025 resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians and wounded 243 others, marking one of the most prominent official U.S. admissions regarding the human toll of that campaign.
15 Additional Incidents Under Review
According to the newspaper, the U.S. review is not limited to those three strikes; 15 additional incidents remain under evaluation to verify whether they resulted in civilian casualties.
This forms part of a broader assessment compiled by the U.S. Department of Defense regarding civilian casualties caused by U.S. military operations across several regions worldwide during 2025.
A 53-Day Air Campaign
The details date back to the U.S. military campaign that began in Yemen in the spring of 2025 under orders from U.S. President Donald Trump, during which U.S. forces launched an extensive series of airstrikes against targets in Yemen.
Data cited by the newspaper indicates that the campaign lasted 53 days and targeted over 1,000 objectives before ending with an agreement to halt operations in early May 2025.
At the time, Washington justified its campaign as an effort to stop attacks targeting shipping in the Red Sea amid regional escalation tied to the war in Gaza.
Pentagon Assessment Discloses Civilian Toll
According to the report, the 12-page U.S. assessment addresses civilian casualties linked to U.S. military operations throughout 2025.
The report notes that disclosing the casualty figures in Yemen represents a notable development in the level of official U.S. acknowledgment of the damage left by the strikes, particularly as ongoing reviews of other incidents could reveal additional tolls.
These figures reopen the file on the humanitarian fallout of the U.S. air campaign in Yemen and the accompanying criticism over the extent of harm inflicted on civilians and civilian infrastructure, alongside questions surrounding verification and accountability mechanisms within the U.S. military establishment.
New Figures Reopen the File on U.S. Operations in Yemen
The publication of the assessment’s details comes amid growing calls to scrutinize the outcomes of past U.S. military operations in Yemen, especially in light of the civilian death and injury figures revealed by the internal review.
Observers note that ongoing investigations into 15 other incidents may yield further details regarding the nature of the U.S. strikes and the scope of civilian casualties resulting from them.
