153 Civilians Killed in US Military Operations in 2025: Pentagon

The United States Department of Defense has officially reported that 153 civilians were killed due to American military operations in 2025, with another 243 injured. All recorded casualties were attributed to three airstrikes conducted in Yemen, as confirmed by the Pentagon.

According to a report submitted to Congress, these casualties occurred during Operation Rough Rider, which targeted Houthi forces in Yemen. From March to May 2025, the US struck Houthi-related targets in Yemen to prevent their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The Pentagon estimates that five civilians were killed near Sanaa on April 6, 80 near the Ras Isa port on April 17, and another 68 in the Saada region on April 28. In compiling these estimates, American military personnel did not visit the sites or conduct interviews with witnesses; instead, they relied on intelligence data, imagery, and information published in open sources.

At the same time, the actual number of civilian casualties may be higher. The organization Airwars, which studies civilian casualties in conflicts, previously reported that at least 258 civilians could have died during Operation Rough Rider. The Pentagon is also investigating reports related to 15 additional incidents in Yemen.

The report does not include casualties from US strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The US government justifies these operations as efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations, though some legal experts characterize them as potential illegal extrajudicial killings.

The release of this data comes at a time when significant cuts to resources aimed at protecting civilians from the impacts of military operations have been implemented at the Pentagon. The staff at the Center for Excellence in Civilian Protection had decreased to nine by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, down from 40 civilian, military staff, and contracted specialists previously employed.

According to CBS News sources, since March 2025, staffing for the center and broader civilian casualty reduction programs has been reduced by nearly 90%. Additionally, the Pentagon's budget proposal for 2026 included significant cuts in funding.

Nevertheless, the Pentagon asserts that US armed forces are committed to minimizing harm to civilians and uphold the requirements of the laws of war.

This issue may gain new significance in the context of ongoing military operations against Iran. The Pentagon has yet to release the findings of its investigation into the alleged strike on a girls' school in Iran. According to Iranian authorities, around 170 people were killed in that strike.