Members of Yemen's African community protest against a US airstrike that hit a migrant detention center in Saada, Yemen, May 11, 2025.
The US Department of Defense submitted its 2025 civilian casualty report to Congress on August 10, touting “a strong record of compliance with the law of war” and acknowledging the “moral imperative” of mitigating and responding to civilian harm.
The language reflects the Trump administration’s selective efforts to maintain the facade that it respects international law, while carrying out unlawful and abusive operations and dismantling civilian protection mechanisms.
The report acknowledges multiple incidents of civilian harm, including more than 150 civilians killed and more than 240 injured by three US airstrikes in Yemen in April 2025. These include an April 17 attack on Ras Issa Port, an entry point for humanitarian aid that, according to the report, killed 80 civilians and injured over 170, as well as an April 28 attack on a migrant detention center in Saada that killed 68 civilians and injured another 47. Both attacks should be investigated as possible war crimes.
The report also states that another 18 incidents of civilian harm are still under investigation, including three cases in Somalia.
Next year’s report, covering 2026, is expected to include higher civilian casualties, as the United States conducted expanded military operations around the world, including strikes across Iran where US forces used more than 10,000 munitions. The most publicized was the strike hitting a primary school in southern Iran, reportedly killing over 150 civilians, mostly children, which should also be investigated as a war crime.
At the same time, the Trump administration has gutted infrastructure designed to mitigate and respond to civilian harm, increasing the risk of further unlawful attacks and stripping the military’s capacity
