U.S. Forces in Yemen

U.S. forces conducted the first known drone strike in Yemen in 2002, and have conducted periodic strikes against Al-Qaeda since 2009. In late 2023, Houthi militants began attacking shipping in the Red Sea in support of Palestinian militants in Gaza. In response, US-led forces began a campaign against the Houthis, with an escalation March-May 2025.

Airwars has documented all allegations of civilian harm from U.S. strikes in Yemen since 2009, and has produced a number of reports and investigations into the allegations of harm.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

443 – 642

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely U.S. Forces actions in Yemen for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the U.S. Forces. These originate from 153 separate alleged incidents.

90 – 110
children likely killed
38 – 57
women likely killed
470
likely injured
425
named victims

U.S. Forces estimate of civilian deaths

13

Confirmed civilian deaths, from U.S. Forces actions in Yemen, originating from 3 separate incidents of civilian harm.

2
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
542 – 828
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S. Forces actions in Yemen.
153 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
443 – 642
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S. Forces
97 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
39 – 52
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
30 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
60 – 134
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
26 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
0 seperate alleged incidents
445 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

14 July 2011

Incident Code

USYEM022-C

Location

مديرية الوضيع, Wadi’a district , Abyan, Yemen
Initial reports of a US or Yemeni bombing raid upon a police station in Wadi’a district on July 14, 2011 may have resulted in as many as fifty people killed, with as many as thirty civilians among the deceased. Militants were also killed and injured, though there was huge variation in the numbers reported, which…

Summary

Published
14 July 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Emergency Services (Police Station)
Civilians reported killed
8–30
Military actors reported killed
6–50
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 July 2011

Incident Code

USYEM021-C

Location

جعار, Jaar, Abyan, Yemen
Between two and six civilians were killed and up to seven others were injured in alleged Yemeni or US airstrikes on Ja’ar on July 5, 2011. Four militants were also reportedly killed. The numbers of dead and wounded varied, as @NoonArabia tweeted that three civilians were killed and seven people were wounded. According to @AdenLang,…

Summary

Published
5 July 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Residential, Healthcare
Civilians reported killed
2–6
Civilians reported injured
4–7
Military actors reported killed
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Yemeni Air Force, U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 June 2011

Incident Code

USYEM020-C

Location

جامع حمزة في جعار, Hamza Mosque, Jaar, Abyan, Yemen
Up to seven people were killed and four others were wounded in US airstrikes or drone strikes on Hamzah Mosque in Ja’ar on June 21, 2011. At least two of the people killed were identified as possibly being militants. @YemNews1 tweeted that four people were killed when Yemeni warplanes bombed the Hamzah mosque in the…

Summary

Published
21 June 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Religious (Mosque), Residential, Commerce (Shop)
Civilians reported killed
2–7
Civilians reported injured
4
Military actors reported killed
0–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

18 June 2011

Incident Code

USYEM019-C

Location

جعار, Ja'ar, Abyan, Yemen
Between five and six civilians were injured in alleged US airstrikes or drone strikes on the neighborhood of Ja’ar and possibly other locations in Abyan governorate on June 18, 2011. Marepress reported that American planes attacked civilian areas and focused attacks on Zinjibar and Jaar. Raids were also launched by US drones in Al-Rai neighborhood.…

Summary

Published
18 June 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Agricultural Land)
Civilians reported injured
5–6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 June 2011

Incident Code

USYEM018-C

Location

Raia, Abyan, Yemen
An alleged US or Yemen government airstrike reportedly killed up to four civilians including one child and two women, and injured up to three children when it struck a residential area of Raia, Jaar, Abyan Province on June 10th 2011. There were no reports of belligerents killed or injured. Multiple sources reported the death of…

Summary

Published
10 June 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
3–4
Civilians reported injured
2–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 June 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

Published
10 June 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Airstrike and/or Artillery
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident