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

May 28, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM094-C

LOCATION

المناسح, Manaseh, Al Bayda, Yemen

Two civilians were reported killed in an alleged US drone strike in the vicinity of the village of Manaseh, close to the town of Rada’a in al-Baydah province during the afternoon of the 28th May, 2012. Between one and five militants linked to Al Qaeda were also reported to have been killed in the strike

Summary

First published
May 28, 2012
Last updated
May 13, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Infrastructure
Car, Vehicle
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
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.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Belligerents reported killed
1–5
Belligerents reported injured
4
View Incident

Incident date

December 29, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM139-B

LOCATION

سائلة الجرّاح, Saila valley/Sa'ilat al Jarrah, Al Bayda, Yemen

Alleged US missiles hit a 2006 saloon Land Cruiser traveling on the outskirts of al-Manaseh village on December 29, 2012, near Radda, in the fourth strike in a week. At least three alleged al Qaeda members died and two others were injured. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm. The three victims reportedly

Summary

First published
December 29, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, 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
3–4
Belligerents reported injured
2
View Incident

Incident date

March 8, 2018

Incident Code

USYEMTr155-C

LOCATION

على الحدود بين مديرية خب و الشعف و مديرية العبر, At the border between Khab wa Ash Sha'f the and the Al Abr district , Hadramaut, Yemen

Six civilians, including a teenage boy, were reportedly killed by a US drone strike while driving in the border region between Al-Jawf and Hadramout governorates, at around 3pm on March 8th 2018. The Yemeni Minister of Human Rights, Mohamed Askar, condemned the attack as “extrajudicial killings”. A US Central Command spokesperson later told the Long

Summary

First published
March 8, 2018
Last updated
May 12, 2025
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Infrastructure
Car, Vehicle
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
6
(1 child5 men)
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
Named victims
6 named, 1 familiy identified
View Incident

Incident date

March 4, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr035-C

LOCATION

جعار, Ja'ar, Al Bayda, Yemen

Multiple sources reported that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants in or near Ja’ar, in the Sama’a area of Bayda governorate, overnight from March 4th to March 5th. One source reported a single militant casualty, and another reported that “civilians including a child” were killed as the result of overnight strikes in Bayda governorate, of

Summary

First published
March 4, 2017
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(1 child)
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
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Belligerents reported killed
1
View Incident

Incident date

June 17, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM106-B

LOCATION

عزان, Azzan, Shabwa, Yemen

On June 17th 2012, an alleged airstrike or shelling by the US military or Yemen Air Force caused the death of up to nine civilians in the town of Azzan, Shabwa province. There are currently no known reports of injured. The US news channel Fox News claimed that six Al Qaeda militants were killed in

Summary

First published
July 17, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 9
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
Yemeni Air Force, US Forces
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Geolocation
City
Belligerents reported killed
6–9
View Incident

Incident date

March 28, 2025

Incident Code

USYEM250328a

LOCATION

منطقة الصرف الصحي، مديرية بني حشيش, Sarf area, Bani Hashish district, Sanaa, Yemen

One civilian was injured by an alleged US bombing of the Sarf area in Bani Hashish District, north of Sanaa, Yemen on March 28, 2025. A post from @alkhabar_ye, along with other local sources, reported that one “citizen” was injured by a US “attack” on the Sarf area in Bani Hashish District. There were no

Summary

First published
April 10, 2025
Last updated
May 22, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
House, Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
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.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Geolocation
Neighbourhood/area
View Incident

Incident date

July 14, 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

First published
July 14, 2011
Last updated
May 14, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Infrastructure
Emergency Services, Police Station
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
8 – 30
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
6–50
Belligerents reported injured
10–12
View Incident

Incident date

April 22, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM065-B

LOCATION

الحرقان عبيدة, Sanda desert, near Obeida valley, Ma'rib, Yemen

Three to four militants, including one of the most senior leaders of AQAP (Al Qaeda on the Arab Peninsula) were killed in a US drone strike on a road between the regions of Ma’rib and Jawf, near the Obeida valley on the afternoon of the 22nd of April, 2012. The majority of media sources, both

Summary

First published
April 22, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
0
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Belligerents reported killed
3–4
View Incident

Incident date

July 3, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM111-B

LOCATION

بيحان‎, Bayhan district, Shabwa, Yemen

On July 3rd 2012, an alleged US drone strike killed two to six members of Al Qaeda and injured two in a car traveling in the Beihan district of the Shabwah Province. Witnesses stated the drone was American, a claim later supported by news reports. Fox News quoting an official identified two of the dead

Summary

First published
July 3, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, 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
2–6
Belligerents reported injured
2
View Incident

Incident date

August 1, 2013

Incident Code

USYEM162-C

LOCATION

بالقرب من قطن, Vicinity of Al-Qatn, Hadhramout, Yemen

Up to five people were killed and three others were injured following alleged US drone strikes on a moving vehicle in Qatan Valley, Hadhramout province at 3:15am on the 1st of August 2013. There was contention in reporting on the number and status of those killed. Some sources reported that all those killed were AQAP.

Summary

First published
August 1, 2013
Last updated
May 22, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Infrastructure
Truck, Vehicle
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2 – 5
(1 child1–4 men)
Civilians reported injured
3
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.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Suspected target
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Named victims
5 named, 1 familiy identified
Geolocation
Town
Belligerents reported killed
0–3
View Incident

Incident date

May 27, 2012

Incident Code

USYEM092-B

LOCATION

جعار, Ja'ar, Abyan, Yemen

In a second reported strike in Jaar on May 27th 2012, a house allegedly used as a meeting place by AQAP militants was “pounded” by warplanes, reported Xinhua. Ten alleged AQAP fighters were killed including two local leaders according to a tribal chief. There are currently no known reports of civilian harm. Xinhua did not

Summary

First published
May 27, 2012
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Single source claim
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
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)
Belligerents reported killed
10
View Incident

Incident date

December 22, 2017

Incident Code

USYEMTr128-C

LOCATION

يكلا‎, Close to Yakla village on road from Rada'a, Al Bayda, Yemen

A US drone strike reportedly killed one civilian in Yakla, in Bayda governorate, on December 22nd 2017, according to multiple local language sources. Tweets from news sources, including @7adramout_net, @yem_Breaking, and @yemenakhbar, suggested that the strike targeted the car of a Qat seller, killing him as he travelled through the area. No known sources suggested

Summary

First published
December 22, 2017
Last updated
May 12, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Infrastructure
Car, Vehicle
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
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.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Suspected target
Other
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

February 2, 2024

Incident Code

USYEMBi014

LOCATION

مزارع الجار, ِAl Jar farms, Hajjah, Yemen

A farm worker was injured by alleged US-UK airstrikes on a farm in the “Al-Jar Farms” area in Abs District on February 2, 2024. According to Jameel Ahmad, American-British fighter jets launched four airstrikes against former President “Ali Saleh’s farm in the “Al-Jar Farms” area in Abs District,” which was a farm that the Houthis

Summary

First published
February 2, 2024
Last updated
March 24, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
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.
Impact
Food
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerents
US Forces, UK Military, UK Military
Suspected target
Houthi Forces
Geolocation
Neighbourhood/area
View Incident

Incident date

April 8, 2025

Incident Code

USYEM250408b

LOCATION

ذَمَار, Dhamar, Yemen

A farm worker was killed and three other farm workers were injured by alleged US airstrikes on a farm west of Dhamar City during the evening of April 8, 2025. Marib Press reported that the US carried out three airstrikes west of Dhamar City, which according to the Houthis hit a farm, wounding three people.

Summary

First published
April 24, 2025
Last updated
May 13, 2025
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agricultural Land, Agriculture
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
3
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.
Suspected belligerent
US Forces
Geolocation
City
View Incident