Air raids in 2018 continue downward trend Bombings reached highest levels in Sa'ada and Al-Hudaydah since the air war began despite countywide fall

Year End 2018 Data

The Saudi/UAE-led coalition carried out 3,362 air raids in Yemen in 2018, a 36% fall from 2017 and the lowest number in any year since the bombing campaign began in March 2015.

Bombings in Sa'ada and Al-Hudaydah reach record high in 2018

The Yemen Data Project recorded a total of 19,123 coalition air raids* from 26 March 2015 to 31 December 2018, 23% of those bombings hit Yemen's most heavily targeted governorate of Saada. The focus on Sa'ada intensified in 2018 with 1,306 air raids - 39% of bombings - targeting the northern border governorate, more than in any other year since the air war started in 2015. Al-Hudaydah was the second most heavily bombed governorate in 2018 with 763 air raids - a 70% rise on the previous high of 450 in 2017.

Coalition Air Raids in Yemen March 2015 - December 2018 Air Raids Per Month 2018

Percentage changes in civilian and military targeting

Despite the countrywide falling rate of air raids, 2018 saw a shift in the percentages of strikes hitting non-military civilian sites and military sites. Non-military targeting rose to 34% overall in 2018 - peaking at 48% in September - with raids on military sites falling to 21% in 2018. This is in contrast to the overall pattern of air raids since the start of the air campaign where almost one third of all targets (32%) had been non-military, 35% military with 33% classified as unknown. In 2018 the proportion of bombings were the target was unknown rose to 45%.



NOTE: A rise in non-military targeting may be an indication of increased fighting taking place in urban areas resulting in the possible change of use of buildings and/or escalated targeting of civilian sites. The dataset lists target category and subcategory for each incident, where information on the target is available. When listing permanent structures the target category refers to the original use of the target e.g. a school hit by an air raid is referred to as a school building with no further assessment made on its use at the time of the air raid, or any possible change of use over the course of the conflict. TARGETS OF COALITION AIR RAIDS IN 2018

Bombing of civilian vehicles continued to rise in 2018



In our May 2018 data summary YDP highlighted the rising number of coalition air raids on civilian vehicles and buses warning the rate early in the year indicated bombings of civilian vehicles would likely exceed the high recorded in 2017. In our summary for August YDP noted two air raids on civilian vehicles and buses that reportedly resulted in the killing of at least 60 civilians including 51 children and injuring dozens more. YDP data recorded three additional air raids on civilian vehicles and buses in the same month. End of year data shows air raids on civilian vehicles and buses exceed the high of 91 in 2017, reaching 95 by the end of December 2018. Air raids on civilian vehicles and buses have risen every year since the start of the bombing campaign.

Amongst the 3,362 air raids in Yemen in 2018 420 air raids hit residential areas

231 hit farms

133 hit transport infrastructure

95 hit civilian vehicles and buses - exceeding the 2017 high of 91

31 hit educational facilities (schools, institutes, universities and other education)

16 hit oil and gas facilities

26 hit water and electricity sites

26 hit market places

15 hit factories

10 hit medical facilities (hospitals, clinic and other healthcare)

7 hit mosques

3 hit IDP camps

2 hit international non-government organisations (INGO) AIR RAIDS BY SUB CATEGORY 2018

Yemen Data Project Air Raids Summary for December 2018



December 2018 Data Al-Hudaydah ceasefire sees air raids fall

The final month of 2018 saw a notable low in coalition bombings with 181 air raids recorded. In just three other months since March 2015 have air raids fallen below 200, two of those months were during the May-June 2016 ceasefire.



The reduced number of air raids coincided with the an official ceasefire in Al-Hudaydah that came into force at midnight on 18 December. Only two air raids (on 27 and 31 December) were recorded in the governorate after that date. Bombings continued elsewhere, mainly in Sa'ada but also in lesser numbers in Hajja, Sana'a governorate, Al-Jawf and Marib.



Above average bombing of non-military sites in December (38%) continued the pattern seen since June 2018. Following the launch of the Saudi/UAE-led coalition's Operation Golden Victory against pro-Houthi forces in Al-Hudaydah in June a bove average civilian targeting was recorded in July (43%), August (39%) and October (43%). September 2018 saw the highest level (48%) of civilian targeting since the air campaign began, matching the previous highest rate in a single month of 48% in October 2015. In November 2018, 33% of bombings hit non-military sites rising to 38% in December. This is in contrast to the overall pattern of air raids since the start of the air campaign where almost one third of all targets (32%) have been non-military, 35% military with 33% classified as unknown.



NOTE: A rise in non-military targeting may be an indication of increased fighting taking place in urban areas resulting in the possible change of use of buildings and/or escalated targeting of civilian sites. The dataset lists target category and subcategory for each incident, where information on the target is available. When listing permanent structures the target category refers to the original use of the target e.g. a school hit by an air raid is referred to as a school building with no further assessment made on its use at the time of the air raid, or any possible change of use over the course of the conflict.

December 2018

181 air raids



↓ 21% on November 2018

56% below monthly average



38% targeted non-military sites 6% above average







Total air raids* 26 March 2015 to 31 December 2018: 19,123 Saudi/UAE-led coalition air raids fell in December 2018 to 181 from 230 in November.



The number of air raids in December was 56% below the monthly average of (416) air raids per month since the air campaign began in March 2015.



While the number of monthly strikes remains well below average for the near 4 year-long air campaign, Sa'ada and Al-Hudaydah governorates were the focus of bombings in the second half of 2018 with 80% of strikes in November targeting these two governorates. In December that focus reduced somewhat with 60% or air raids hitting these two governorates. Air raids targeted 12 of Yemen's 22 governorates in December.

The highest number of air raids recorded in a single month remains September 2015 at 920.