A Glimpse into the US's Strenuous Aggression Against the Houthis on Yemen's Frontier
Expensive U.S. Military Aggression Against Houthis Approaches $1 Billion, Yielding Minimal Results
The clash against the Iran-sponsored Houthi militants in Yemen by American forces is swiftly nearing a staggering $1 billion mark in less than three weeks, despite minimal destruction to the combat group's capabilities. Three sources closely acquainted with the military's campaign progress informed CNN about the matter.
The armed conflict, inaugurated on March 15, has already shelled out hundreds of millions of dollars in munitions for barrages against the group, including JASSM long-range cruise missiles, JSOWs—GPS-guided glide bombs, and Tomahawk missiles, according to the sources. In addition, B-2 bombers from Diego Garcia were deployed against the Houthis, with an aircraft carrier and several fighter squadrons, along with air defense systems, soon to be stationed in the Central Command region, as announced by defense officials this week.
Political scrutiny of the offensive is escalating on both sides of the aisle, even with Vice President JD Vance coming forward expressing his opinion that the operation is an error in a Signal chat disclosed by The Atlantic last week. The Pentagon has been reticent to disclose the actual impact of the daily US military assaults on the Houthis. The Pentagon’s Joint Staff, US Central Command, US Indo Pacific Command, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, along with the State Department, told Congress that several members of Houthi leadership and certain Houthi military sites have been eliminated in recent days.
However, the group has fortified their hideouts and preserved weapons stockpiles beneath the ground—a strategy they employed while enduring strikes during the Biden administration's tenure. Officially establishing a precise inventory of the Houthis' remaining arsenal has proven difficult, as defense officials admit.
Government insiders briefed on the operation state that the Houthis have persisted with launching missiles and drones at targets in and over the Red Sea despite weeks of continuous US bombings. Concurrently, the US is exhausting tactical munitions, fuel, and deployment time.
The New York Times broke the details of the military operation in briefings with Congress. The operation's tempo has risen now that CENTCOM Commander Erik Kurilla no longer requires higher-level authorization to initiate strikes—a shift from the Biden administration, reinstating the policies of Trump's first term. However, the timeline for when this campaign will come to a halt remains uncertain. President Trump stated that the offensive would persist until the Houthis desist from attacking Red Sea shipping, but despite weeks of bombing, the Houthis have continued their missile and drone attacks. Incidentally, they have shot down another US MQ-9 Reaper drone—the second MQ9 to be downed since the operation commenced last month, as revealed by CNN's sources.
A defense official conceded, however, that ballistic missile attacks from the Houthis against Israel have waned in the previous week, which some believe is attributable to the relentless US bombing campaign that has compelled the Houthis to maintain a lower profile.
One among the insiders sharing information about the operation specified the Houthi officials who have been killed in US strikes as of mid-management stature, with exceptions only for the Houthi official overseeing the group's drone operations, who was eradicated in a strike last month, as confirmed by officials.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz acknowledged the demise of this Houthi commander in a Signal chat reported by The Atlantic in March. He stated that the Houthis' "top missile guy" was killed when he entered his girlfriend's building, which collapsed amid US strikes. Two sources briefed on the ongoing operation attribute this comment to the more daring approach adopted by the US military under Trump, as compared to that of the Biden administration, showing less apprehension of civilian casualties. One defense official, however, criticized this stance, asserting that the building was not a civilian apartment complex, but rather a gathering spot for Houthi officials, and the US military is utilizing precision munitions and taking measures to decrease the risk of civilian casualties.
The large-scale operation has ignited reservations among officials at US Indo-Pacific Command, who have lodged complaints about the sizable number of long-range weapons being consumed by CENTCOM for the Houthis, especially JASSMs and Tomahawks. These weapons would be imperative in the event of a conflict with China, and military planners at INDOPACOM are worried about the impact this CENTCOM operation may have on US military preparedness in the Pacific. Easing these concerns, however, is a defense official who calls them an "exaggeration."
"[We employ precision munitions in every strike," the official said. "We retain authority to use the full capacity of our deployed forces in the Middle East region against the Houthis." The official reassured, "We have no concern about employment of long-range weapons when and if needed to maximize our effectiveness."
- The ongoing US military operation against the Houthis in Yemen is estimated to be worth over $1 billion, with the deployment of JASSM missiles, JSOWs, Tomahawk missiles, B-2 bombers, and other resources leading to this staggering cost.
- Despite continuous US bombings, the Houthis in Yemen have persisted in launching missiles and drones at targets in the Red Sea, indicating that their stockpiles may still be significant and that they have strategically fortified their hideouts beneath the ground.
- The use of long-range weapons, such as JASSMs and Tomahawks, in the ongoing operation against the Houthis has raised concerns among officials at US Indo-Pacific Command, who fear that these weapons could be crucial in a potential conflict with China, and are concerned about the impact this operation may have on US military preparedness in the Pacific.
