Military Actors ▸

U.S. Forces

The armed forces of the United States have been directly active in a number of military campaigns in recent decades, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Somalia.

Airwars has documented allegations of civilian harm from U.S. actions in multiple contexts including Somalia and Yemen, as well as conducted a number of major investigations.

1,480 incidents involving U.S. Forces
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U.S. Forces

Conflicts monitored involving U.S. Forces

The Iran War
The Iran War
U.S. Forces in Venezuela
U.S. Forces in Venezuela
U.S. Military in Latin America and the Caribbean
U.S. Military in Latin America and the Caribbean
U.S. Forces in Somalia
U.S. Forces in Somalia
U.S. Forces in Yemen
U.S. Forces in Yemen

Recent Documentation

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Incident Date

1 September 2026

Incident Code

USIR260901a

Location

Residence of Ali Mallahi, Bandar-e Kuhestak, Hormozgan province, Isfahan, Iran
منزل علی ملاحی، بندر کوهستک، استان هرمزگان
At approximately 9:30-10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 September, 2026, a series of alleged U.S. strikes killed five people - two children and three women - and injured up to 74 others at a wedding ceremony and surrounding areas in Bandar-e Kuhestak, Iran. A telecommunications tower, between 360 and 430 feet away from the celebration, was …

Summary

Published
3 September 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Communications, Residential, Vehicle, Motorcycle
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
67 – 74
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Actor
U.S. Forces
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Incident Date

25 August 2026

Incident Code

USMAR260825a

Location

Caribbean Sea
On August 25, 2026, the United States military carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel, reportedly killing four people described as “narco-terrorists” in the Caribbean. The strike was announced by U.S. Southern Command on August 25th. On Twitter/X, the statement detailed that “under Gen. Donovan’s direction” the strike was on a "go-fast" vessel …

Summary

Published
26 August 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Vehicle, Boat
Civilians reported killed
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Actor
U.S. Forces
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Incident Date

23 August 2026

Incident Code

USMAR260823a

Location

Eastern Pacific, Pacific Ocean
On August 23, 2026, the United States military carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel, reportedly killing two people described as “narco-terrorists” in the Eastern Pacific. The strike was announced by U.S. Southern Command on Twitter/X on August 24th. The statement detailed that “under #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan’s direction” the strike …

Summary

Published
24 August 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Vehicle, Boat
Civilians reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Actor
US, U.S. Forces
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Incident Date

23 July 2026

Incident Code

USIR260723a

Location

The Shalamcheh international border, Kermanshah, Iran
مرز بین‌المللی شلمچه,
Around 3 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026, two people were reportedly killed and 11 people injured, including one person reported to be in critical condition, in an alleged U.S. strike on the Shalamcheh international border crossing in Khuzestan province, Iran. The two fatalities were later identified as members of the Iranian military and have …

Summary

Published
3 August 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Transportation, Border crossing, Communications
Civilians reported injured
11
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Actor
U.S. Forces
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Research and Investigations

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New U.S. munition has damage radius of at least 170 metres, Airwars finds
31 Aug, 2026
Investigations
Iran

New U.S. munition has damage radius of at least 170 metres, Airwars finds

Visual analysis of first usage of PrSM missile during Iran war reveals scale of civilian threat
The U.S. accepts killing more than 140 civilians in just two strikes
13 Aug, 2026
Investigations, Update
Somalia, Yemen, Iraq

The U.S. accepts killing more than 140 civilians in just two strikes

Department of Defense report follows Airwars' strike-by-strike documentation of all U.S. bombing campaigns
The human cost of the 40-day Iran war
19 Jun, 2026
Research, Update
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates

The human cost of the 40-day Iran war

With U.S. and Iran 'peace deal' hanging in the balance, Airwars releases findings on 1,000 incidents of harm tracked across 14 countries
Tracking and researching attacks at sea in the US, Israel, Iran war 2026
18 Jun, 2026
Research

Tracking and researching attacks at sea in the US, Israel, Iran war 2026

How open source techniques can track, record and verify civilians killed at sea
Methodology note: Documenting civilian harm in the 2026 Iran, Israel, and US War
15 Jun, 2026
Research
Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, United Arab Emirates

Methodology note: Documenting civilian harm in the 2026 Iran, Israel, and US War

How Airwars tracked harm in 14 countries during the 40-day Iran War
New analysis reveals extent of US erosion of civilian protection commitments in 2025
29 May, 2026
Policy, Update

New analysis reveals extent of US erosion of civilian protection commitments in 2025

New analysis released by Airwars’ project the Civilian Protection Monitor details the extent of the US walk-back on its commitments to protect civilians in war, while showing major improvements in policy and practice in the Netherlands. The United Kingdom has maintained its status as ‘Uncommitted’ to mitigating harm to civilians from its own military operations, …