US Forces in Yemen

Mabkhout Ali al Ameri with his 18-month old son Mohammed, shortly after a botched US raid on al Ghayil in January 2017 had killed at least 20 villagers, including Mohammed's mother Fatim Saleh Mohsen. © Iona Craig

Belligerent
US Forces
Country
Yemen
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Strike Status
Strike Type
Infrastructure

Incident date

June 10, 2011

Incident Code

USYEM017-B

LOCATION

زنجبار‎ , Zinjibar, Abyan, Yemen

Local sources reported that “at least one top insurgent was killed in the US military-led strikes by unmanned aircraft”, which began in Zinjibar, on June 10, 2021. There were no reports of civilian harm. While Reuters reported that airstrikes on Zinjibar stemmed from “state forces”, according to the editor of the Yemen Post, a strike

Summary

First published
June 10, 2011
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Airstrike and/or Artillery, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
0
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Belligerents reported killed
1
View Incident

Incident date

April 18, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM062-C

LOCATION

لودر, Lawdar, Abyan, Yemen

One civilian was killed, and two injured, in an alleged US or Yemeni strike on Loder, April 18th, that also purportedly killed six militants, sources said. A tweet from @fhgfdgdd and @BRQNews1 reported that the son of Tariq al-Fadli was among the dead militants, which was also reported by Yafanews. Reuters reported that “Loder residents

Summary

First published
April 18, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Belligerents reported killed
6
View Incident

Incident date

June 20, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM109-B

LOCATION

المحفد, Mahfed, Abyan, Yemen

On the 20th of June 2012, up to 30 militants were reported killed and six others injured in a series of Yemeni or US-waged airstrikes in Mahfed, Abyan, which was later reported by international and local media. AP reported that Yemeni military officials said that “at least six air raids targeted moving vehicles and Al

Summary

First published
June 20, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
0
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Suspected belligerents
US Forces, Yemeni Air Force
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Geolocation
Village
Belligerents reported killed
5–30
Belligerents reported injured
6
View Incident

Incident date

November 11, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr115-C

LOCATION

خبران, Khabran, Al Bayda, Yemen

Multiple sources reported that a US drone strike in Qayfa, in Bayda governorate, killed one civilian and seriously injured another on the morning of November 11th 2017.  Some other sources suggested that at least one alleged ISIS militant was killed in the strike. US Central Command later confirmed that a strike took place in Bayda

Summary

First published
November 11, 2017
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Civilians reported injured
1
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
ISIS - Yemen
Named victims
2 named, 1 familiy identified
Belligerents reported killed
1–3
Belligerents reported injured
1
View Incident

Incident date

February 12, 2018

Incident Code

USYEMTr146-C

LOCATION

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen

A US strike took place in Bayda governorate against an unspecified target on February 12th 2018, a US Central Command spokesperson later told the Long War Journal. One source at the time of the attack, Yemen Monitor, claimed: “American drones launched more than once raids targeting sites of the Popular Resistance in Al Bayda Governorate,

Summary

First published
February 12, 2018
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known targets
ISIS - Yemen, Other
Belligerents reported killed
7
Belligerents reported injured
2
View Incident

Incident date

August 4, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM115-C

LOCATION

عدن, Aden, Yemen

A single source, Press TV, reported that a US drone killed five “people” traveling in a vehicle in Aden on August 4, 2012. However, the same source referred to the strike as occurring in “eastern Yemen” while Aden is located in western Yemen. Another strike did occur in eastern Yemen on the same date (USYEM116-B),

Summary

First published
August 4, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Single source claim
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 5
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Geolocation
Province/governorate
Belligerents reported killed
0–5
View Incident

Incident date

January 21, 2019

Incident Code

USYEMTr186-C

LOCATION

جعار, Ja'ar, Al Bayda, Yemen

One civilian, named as the elderly man Saleh Ahmed Mohammed al-Qaisi, was killed by a US drone strike in the vicinity of Ja’ar, in the Al Qayseen subdistrict, Sama’a district of Bayda governorate, at 10am on January 21st 2019. In April 2021, CENTCOM confirmed to the Yemen human rights group Mwatana that it had killed

Summary

First published
January 21, 2019
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

January 29, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr006-C

LOCATION

الغيل, al Ghayil, Yakla, Al Bayda, Yemen

At least 15 civilians, including at least 10 children and four women, were reportedly killed in a US Navy special forces operation in al-Ghayil village, Yakla region of Bayda province – though the reported civilian toll varied considerably. The US military has to date conceded 12 deaths. A force of US Navy SEALs engaged in

Summary

First published
January 29, 2017
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
15 – 56
(10–15 children4–10 women1–8 men)
Civilians reported injured
5–7
Causes of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Airwars civilian harm grading
Confirmed
A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Named victims
32 named, 5 families identified
Belligerents reported killed
4–42
Belligerents reported injured
3–6
View Incident