US strikes targeting Houthis killed 153 civilians in Yemen last year, Pentagon review says

The Pentagon has released a review stating that U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen last year resulted in the deaths of more than 150 civilians. The unclassified assessment, which has been sent to Congress, highlights concerns over civilian casualties during military operations under the Trump administration.

The review, obtained by The Associated Press, focused on three specific airstrikes in April 2025 that were launched during the U.S. campaign against the Houthis. The deadliest strike on Ras Isa port killed 80 people and injured 171 others. The U.S. military asserts that the strikes were intended to eliminate a source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and prevent them from earning illicit revenue that funds their terror activities.

However, the review determined that the strikes resulted in civilian harm more likely than not. Condolence payments were not deemed appropriate for the strikes, as they are not required by law and not an admission of wrongdoing. The U.S.-led campaign against the Houthis intensified in 2023 after the group began attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea, claiming the attacks were to stop Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and support Palestinians.