By the Numbers… Which Nation is the Deadliest Terrorist?
Sid Shniad
Sonar 21 23 January 2026
By the Numbers… Which Nation is the Deadliest Terrorist?
by Larry C. Johnson
I am sure this article is going to upset some folks… Too damn bad! The data that follows is not my opinion nor is it numbers based on my own calculations. I am using Bibi Netanyahu’s definition of terrorism… Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu defined terrorism on William F. Buckley Jr.’s TV program “Firing Line” in an episode titled “Terrorism: Viewed from Abroad,” which was recorded on May 30, 1986. In that interview, Netanyahu (then Israel’s ambassador to the UN) defined terrorism as “the deliberate and systematic targeting of civilians/innocents for political or ideological ends.”
Based on comprehensive data from conflict databases, academic estimates, and reports on civilian casualties in foreign wars (excluding domestic conflicts or genocides within a country’s own borders), the United States is responsible for the highest number of civilian deaths in other countries since 1960. This is primarily driven by major US-led or US-involved interventions, with total estimates exceeding 4 million civilian fatalities across multiple conflicts (figures vary due to challenges in attribution and indirect causes like famine or disease exacerbated by war).
Now let’s consider the number of civilian deaths caused by proxies since 1960 — i.e., US proxies (defined here as non-US groups or state actors materially supported by the US through arms, funding, intelligence, or other aid to advance US interests in foreign conflicts). The following numbers are drawn from Brown University’s Costs of War (post-9/11 focus), Uppsala Conflict Data Program, Wikipedia casualty ratios, and reports from Airwars, Human Rights Watch, and UN estimates. These often include indirect deaths (e.g., 3.6–3.8 million in Iraq/Afghanistan alone post-2001, some proxy-related). Based on data from conflict databases, academic reports, and human rights analyses, a conservative aggregate estimate ranges from approximately 1.5–3 million civilian deaths. This includes both direct violence and indirect effects, with the higher end incorporating broader war-induced mortality.
Here are the major US-sponsored proxy wars that killed civilians:
Afghan-Soviet War (1979–1989): US provided ~$3–6 billion in arms and aid to mujahideen fighters as proxies against Soviet forces. Civilian deaths: ~800,000–1.5 million (from bombings, landmines, and proxy guerrilla warfare; total war deaths ~1–2 million, with civilians ~50–75%).
Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988): US supported Iraq as a proxy against Iran via intelligence, loans (~$5 billion), and dual-use chemical precursors (enabling mustard gas and other weapons used in attacks like Halabja, killing ~5,000 civilians in one incident). Civilian deaths: ~100,000–500,000 (total war deaths ~500,000–1 million; civilians ~20–50%, including ~50,000–100,000 from chemical weapons).
Angolan Civil War (1975–2002, US involvement 1980s–1990s): US backed UNITA rebels (~$250 million in aid) as proxies against the Soviet/Cuban-supported government. Civilian deaths: ~300,000–500,000 (from fighting, mines, and famine; total deaths ~500,000–800,000, civilians ~60%).
Yemen Civil War (2015–ongoing): US supported Saudi-led coalition with arms (~$100 billion+ sales), intelligence, and logistics as proxies against Houthi rebels. Civilian deaths: ~150,000–377,000 (direct ~85,000, indirect ~292,000 from famine/disease; UN and Costs of War estimates).
Syrian Civil War (2011–ongoing, US proxy support 2012–2020): US armed and trained moderate rebels (~$1 billion+) as proxies against Assad/ISIS. Attributed civilian deaths: ~50,000–200,000 (in broader war; US-backed groups involved in ~10–20% of total ~500,000 civilians killed, per Airwars and Syrian Observatory).
Other Notable Proxies (Aggregate ~100,000–300,000): Includes Indonesian invasion of East Timor (1975–1999, US arms/support: ~100,000–200,000 civilians); Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992, US-backed RENAMO: ~100,000 civilians); and scattered drone/support ops in Somalia/Pakistan (~5,000–10,000 civilians since 2001).
The total number of civilians killed by US-direct action or through proxies is at least 7 million.
Now let’s apply the same methodology to Iran. Iran has been involved in several direct military actions since 1960, primarily the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) and its intervention in the Syrian Civil War (2011–ongoing), with more limited direct roles in conflicts like Yemen (advisory/missile support), Lebanon (1980s IRGC presence), and Iraq (anti-ISIS operations). “Direct military actions” here excludes proxy groups (e.g., Hezbollah, Houthis, or Iraqi militias) unless Iranian forces were explicitly involved, as per the query focus. Reliable estimates of civilian deaths from these actions are challenging due to underreporting, indirect causes (e.g., disease/famine), and attribution issues, but aggregate figures from sources like the UN, SNHR, and academic analyses suggest a total of approximately 100,000–200,000 civilian deaths attributable to Iranian military forces from 1960 to 2025. This is a conservative range; higher ends include broader war-induced mortality.
The number of civilian deaths caused by Iranian proxies (groups materially supported, trained, armed, or directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or other state entities, such as Hezbollah, Iraqi Shia militias, Houthis, Hamas, and others) since 1960 (primarily from 1979 onward, as Iran’s proxy network emerged post-Islamic Revolution) is difficult to quantify precisely. Attribution is complex due to shared responsibility in multi-party conflicts, underreporting, indirect deaths (e.g., famine, disease), and varying definitions of “proxy” vs. direct Iranian action. However, based on data from conflict databases (e.g., Uppsala Conflict Data Program, Airwars), human rights reports (e.g., Syrian Network for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch), and think tanks (e.g., Costs of War Project, Wilson Center), a conservative aggregate estimate ranges from approximately 500,000–1.2 million civilian deaths attributable to these groups from 1979–2025. This is a broad range; higher figures include indirect war effects, while lower ones focus on direct violence.
Let me leave you with one final data point… How many Israeli civilians have been killed by terrorist attacks since 1982 (I start with 1982 because that is the year that Hezbollah emerged)? The total number of Israelis killed in terrorist attacks since 1982 (through 2025) is approximately 4,000–4,500, with the vast majority being civilians. This figure primarily covers attacks attributed to Palestinian groups (e.g., Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Fatah-linked militants, lone actors) and Hezbollah (especially in the 1980s–2000s and 2023–2025 escalations), as these have been the main sources of terrorism targeting Israelis.
Keep these numbers in mind the next time you hear that Iran is a vicious terrorist regime. Iran has not killed — directly or indirectly – 7 million civilians. What you should find particularly shocking is that Israel, despite wild claims of massive casualties inflicted by Iran — has only lost a maximum of 4,500, which includes October 7, from Iranian proxies. The total number of civilian deaths directly attributable to Israeli military actions in other countries (or occupied territories) since 1960 (through 2025) is estimated in the range of approximately 150,000–250,000. This is a rough aggregate based on data from UN agencies (e.g., OCHA, UNRWA), human rights organizations (e.g., B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch), conflict databases (e.g., Uppsala Conflict Data Program), and academic/historical sources. The range reflects challenges in attribution (direct vs. indirect deaths), underreporting in war zones, and debates over civilian vs. combatant status.
So who is the real terrorist nation? Before launching a new attack on Iran, the US and Israel need to look in the mirror to see who poses the real threat to civilians.
Here is today’s Intelligence Roundtable with Judge Napolitano and Ray:
Last, but certainly not the least, is my latest interview with two distinguished Russian military and foreign policy analysts: General Evgeny Buzhinsky and Dmitry Suslov. You already know General Buzhinsky from my previous interviews. Dmitry Suslov is a Russian political scientist specializing in international relations, U.S. foreign policy, Russia-U.S. relations, and Eurasian security. He serves as Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University) in Moscow and as Deputy Director for Research Programs at the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy (CFDP), a leading Russian think tank.
