US military operations killed 153 civilians in 2025, official says, citing Pentagon assessment

In 2025, US military operations resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians and the injury of 243, according to a Pentagon assessment, a US official reported on Tuesday. This marks a stark increase from 2024, when the Pentagon estimated that only two civilians were killed and two injured by US military operations. The assessment pertains to three strikes in Yemen in April 2025, which the Central Command (CENTCOM) deemed likely to have caused civilian harm.

Additionally, as of February 2026, there were 15 other incidents in Yemen that CENTCOM was currently evaluating in response to reports from non-governmental organizations. The US military's primary objective in these operations is to weaken the capabilities of Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. However, the Pentagon report did not account for any casualties from US strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

SOUTHCOM, meanwhile, reported no instances of civilian casualties resulting from US military operations within its area of responsibility in 2025. The Trump administration has targeted vessels they accuse of transporting narcotics in the Eastern Pacific, labeling these targets as "narco-terrorists." These strikes have reportedly resulted in over 200 deaths since September 2025, according to a tally of death tolls published following each strike.

Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International view these strikes as unlawful extrajudicial killings, while the American Civil Liberties Union characterizes the Trump administration's assertions as "unsubstantiated, fear-mongering claims."