The Pentagon has conducted a review which concluded that US airstrikes aimed at Houthi rebels in Yemen last year resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians. This information raises significant concerns regarding civilian casualties during military operations during the Trump administration. The unclassified assessment, which was acquired by The Associated Press, was forwarded to Congress as part of an annual report concerning civilian casualties.

This assessment was first covered by NBC News. According to a Pentagon official, who requested to remain anonymous, further details about the report will be submitted to Congress in the coming months. No additional comments were provided at this time.

Analysis of Airstrikes and Their Impact

The review examined three specific airstrikes conducted in April 2025 against the Houthis, who have been engaging in aggressive actions against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, an essential trade route. The strikes targeted areas in close proximity to Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-held capital, and the Ras Isa port.

The Pentagon’s assessment revealed that 243 individuals were also injured during these strikes, with the deadliest incident occurring at Ras Isa port, which resulted in 80 fatalities and 171 injuries. Eyewitness accounts described the attack as producing enormous fireballs and leaving tanker trucks in ruins. Subsequently, the Houthis broadcasted graphic footage showing the aftermath, with bodies strewn across the port.

At the time of the strikes, US Central Command defended the operation by stating that it was not intended to harm civilians. In a public statement issued in April 2025, they mentioned that the goal was to eliminate a source of fuel being utilised by the Iran-backed Houthis and to disrupt their funding.

Growing Concerns Over Civilian Casualties

The review determined that civilian harm was “more likely than not” caused by the airstrikes. This conclusion was reached based on US intelligence, imaging data, and public reporting. The matter of civilian casualties resulting from US military actions has increasingly attracted scrutiny from Congress, particularly following a missile strike that reportedly hit an Iranian primary school earlier this year, causing up to 168 fatalities.

Additionally, reports indicate that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has scaled back the operations of an office dedicated to mitigating civilian harm in military operations. The findings from the Pentagon assessment arrive concurrently with an escalation in attacks by the Houthis against government forces in Yemen, as well as strikes on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, which is supportive of the Yemeni government.

The report underscores the significant impact of the April 2025 airstrikes amidst escalating violence in Yemen, heightening fears that this resurgence might rekindle the civil war, which had seen a temporary ceasefire in 2022. It also raises the prospect of further instability in the wider Middle East region.

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