Pentagon Conceals Civilian Casualty Data from US Airstrikes in Yemen
Hundreds of civilians were reported killed or wounded as a result of US air strikes in Yemen last year. However, the Pentagon has yet to publicly acknowledge the casualty figures or provide a complete report to Congress, according to documents reviewed by NBC News and accounts from individuals familiar with the strikes.
The three deadly strikes, which occurred in April 2025, were part of Operation Rough Rider, a 53-day military campaign launched by President Donald Trump less than two months into his second term. The operation aimed to stop Iran-backed Houthi rebels from threatening shipping and regional allies.
Although human rights groups reported the likelihood of large-scale civilian casualties, the Pentagon previously assessed that there were no civilian deaths from the US air war against Houthi forces in Yemen. To date, the Pentagon has not responded to requests for comment on the latest findings.
Documents reviewed show correspondence between the Pentagon and lawmakers seeking details of the strikes. In a letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren in March, Derrick Anderson, the Pentagon’s assistant secretary for special operations, stated that US Central Command (Centcom) had reviewed dozens of strikes.
Anderson wrote that 15 incidents remained under active review and that three April 2025 strikes required further investigation. The assessment concluded that the US strikes were ‘more likely than not’ to have resulted in civilian casualties.
Two sources familiar with the strikes said around 150 civilians were likely killed in the first two strikes, with around 200 others wounded. The group AirWars reported specifically that 84 civilians were killed and 150 wounded in the strike on the port of Ras Isa alone.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2027 now requires the Pentagon to release unredacted civilian harm investigations and supporting documents for the three strikes in Yemen. If it fails to comply, Congress has the authority to withhold certain funds, including travel expenses for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Beyond the Yemen case, the legislation also demands transparency over the US strike on a school in Minab, Iran, in February, which killed more than 170 people, the majority of them children. Centcom’s investigation into the Minab incident is reported to be nearly complete.
Under Trump’s leadership, the US is considered more secretive about military operations than previous administrations. Amanda Klasing, National Director of Amnesty International USA, condemned the handling of the air strikes as appalling.
‘This administration has gutted Pentagon programmes intended to prevent civilian harm and has avoided public accountability for cases of civilian casualties,’ Klasing said. An Inspector General investigation indeed found that under Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, funding and staffing for civilian harm mitigation efforts were significantly reduced.
Although the war with the Houthis eventually reached a ceasefire agreement—with the Houthis pledging to stop targeting US ships and the US pledging to halt air strikes—the unaccounted civilian toll remains a crucial issue demanding accountability from Washington. (NBC/I-2)