US military operations killed 153 civilians in 2025 — Pentagon

US military operations killed 153 civilians and wounded 243 others in 2025, according to a Pentagon assessment cited by a US official on Tuesday.

The figures represent a sharp increase from 2024, when the Pentagon assessed that two civilians were killed and two injured by US military operations.

According to a Reuters report published on Wednesday, the Pentagon report submitted to the US Congress found that all civilian deaths and injuries recorded in 2025 resulted from three US strikes in Yemen in April that year.

The Pentagon said the US Central Command assessed that the three strikes “more likely than not” resulted in civilian harm.

The report also said that, as of February 2026, US Central Command was assessing 15 other incidents in Yemen following reports received through non-governmental organisations.

The US military has said its operations in Yemen are aimed at degrading the capabilities of Iran-backed Houthi militants.

The Pentagon assessment did not include casualties from US strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

As of February 1, 2026, the US Southern Command assessed that “there were no incidents in which civilian casualties more likely than not resulted from US military operations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility in 2025.”

The Trump administration has carried out strikes against vessels it accuses of transporting narcotics in the Eastern Pacific, describing the targets as “narco-terrorists.”

Those strikes have killed more than 200 people since September 2025, according to Reuters’ tally based on death tolls published following each strike.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have described the vessel strikes as unlawful extrajudicial killings, while the American Civil Liberties Union has characterised the Trump administration’s assertions about those targeted as “unsubstantiated, fear-mongering claims.”

An independent check by PUNCH Online on Wednesday on war.gov confirmed the 11 pages report.

Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.