Pentagon Review: US Strikes on Houthis Killed 153 Civilians in Yemen

A Pentagon review has concluded that U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen last year resulted in the deaths of 153 civilians, with 243 others injured. The unclassified assessment, which was sent to Congress as part of an annual report on civilian casualties, focused on three specific strikes conducted in April 2025.

The strikes were part of the U.S. military campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthi movement, which had been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The targets included hostile forces near the rebel-held capital of Sanaa and at the Ras Isa port.

The deadliest incident occurred at the port, where 80 people were killed and 171 were injured. The attack caused massive fires and destroyed fuel tanker trucks. The Houthis broadcast graphic footage of the aftermath on their al-Masirah satellite channel.

At the time, U.S. Central Command stated the strike was not intended to harm civilians, describing it as an effort to eliminate a fuel source that funded Houthi operations. The Pentagon's review determined that the three strikes "more likely than not" resulted in civilian harm, based on intelligence sources, imagery, and open-source reporting.

Despite the findings, the review determined that condolence payments were not appropriate for these strikes, without providing an explanation. Such payments are not required by law and are not considered an admission of wrongdoing, though they have been offered in past incidents.

The U.S. military's campaign against the Houthis began in 2023, evolving into the Navy's most intense running sea battle since World War II. The Houthis have since increased attacks on government forces in Yemen and on oil facilities and shipping in Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a renewed civil war.