The United States has launched a military operation against Yemen aimed at eliminating its leadership, forcing an end to the blockade of the Red Sea, and weakening Iran's influence in the region.
Since January 19, Yemen had ceased attacks on Israeli, American, and British ships in the Red Sea following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, on March 7, the Houthis warned that they would resume strikes since the blockade of Gaza had not been lifted.
"Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before!," said US President Donald Trump as he announced the beginning of a large-scale military operation against Yemen.
On March 15, the US carried out airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas, which make up approximately 70% of Yemen's territory. In advance of the strikes, Washington had officially designated the ruling group in Sana'a, Ansar Allah, as a "terrorist organization.”
The airstrikes primarily targeted the Houthis' ideological and political centers in Sana'a and Sa'ada. Yemen reported casualties-around 50 killed and 100 injured. US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz stated that the attack "targeted several Houthi leaders and eliminated them." The strikes align with Israel's stance, which strongly believes that removing the group's leadership will weaken its ability to operate.
In retaliation, the Houthis twice attacked the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the northern Red Sea, using ballistic and cruise missiles along with drones. They have confirmed their intent to continue such attacks.
While Joe Biden's administration had claimed that the Houthis act independently, Trump justified the airstrikes by arguing that Iran must be held fully accountable for militarily supporting the Houthis. Notably, Washington informed Russia about the military operation through diplomatic channels-an interesting move considering Russia recently signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Iran. Moreover, on March 14, Russia, China, and Iran met in Beijing to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue, which they argue is not a problem.
The US is testing whether Russia will distance itself from its agreement with Iran, which states that neither side will support the other's adversaries in war. It appears Washington has offered Moscow incentives to pressure Tehran on the Houthi issue-possibly in exchange for concessions on Ukraine. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has opposed military action against Yemen.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on March 16 via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the US "has no authority or right to dictate Iran's foreign policy."
Some believe the timing of the attack on Yemen is strategic, coming after Israel's perceived victories against Hezbollah and Hamas. However, the Houthis successfully fought off a Saudi-led coalition backed by the US and UK a decade ago, and they previously waged six wars against Yemen's Saudi-aligned government from 2004 to 2010. Guerilla warfare is nothing new for them, and attacking ships off the Yemeni coast does not require advanced weaponry.
Trump aims to resolve the issue through airstrikes alone, avoiding the deployment of ground troops. However, history shows that wars cannot be won by airstrikes alone – boots on the ground are necessary. So far, there are no indications of any country, including the US, being willing to send ground forces.
On a broader level, the Houthis' fight against Israel and the US reflects widespread anger across the Muslim world over what is seen as an unjust war in Gaza. This allows Yemen to secure arms supplies from various sources, including Iran, and maintain domestic weapons production despite the blockade.
As a result, a large-scale US air operation is unlikely to bring peace to the region. Instead, it risks escalating tensions with Iran and driving up logistics and insurance costs for goods transported through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.