U.S. Continues Operation Rough Rider Against the Houthi in Yemen

What Happened?

U.S. air and naval forces have carried out a series of strikes against the Houthi in Yemen. According to the Institute for the Study of War, at least two hundred and fifty airstrikes and missile attacks have been carried out against Houthi targets since the operation began in late March. Initial estimates put the number of Houthi fighters killed at five hundred, and approximately two hundred more civilian casualties. 

Peter Nguyen, the strategic communications director for the National Security Council, said this is ‘the first operation of this scale that the U.S. has conducted against Houthi forces, and they really are on their back foot right now.’

Why it Matters

The Houthi have been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea and off the coast of Yemen since the beginning of the war between Israel and HAMAS. Initially, the Houthi claimed to be targeting only vessels that were Israeli or heading to Israel, but the attacks also included commercial ships with no connections to Israel.

Nearly fifteen percent of global shipping passes by the coast of Yemen each year, providing the Houthi with a wide variety of potential targets. While the Houthi have attacked Israeli ships, they have also engaged in simple piracy, where the goal is to make money not further any political goals.

After years of getting substantial amounts of training and equipment from Iran, the Houthi have grown from a relatively rag-tag group of rebels into a more sophisticated and capable military force. Retired four-star Admiral, James Stavridis, the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, said the Houthi now possess a ‘Navy SEAL-like capability’ to attack ships near the coast of Yemen.

The Houthi have also acquired and utilized an arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones. Which they have used not only to attack commercial ships but also naval vessels from the United States, Britain, and France. The Biden Administration also launched a substantial number of airstrikes against Yemen, carrying out over eight hundred such attacks in four years. 

Houthi targets are scattered and located in remote sections of Yemen, making them hard to pinpoint and difficult to destroy. U.S. military strikes carried out by both the Trump and Biden administrations have damaged the Houthi command and control system, while inflicting significant damage on the group. But with a large number of fighters available and regular resupply from Iran, it is unlikely the Houthi threat can ever be eliminated by airstrikes alone.

How it Affects You

Consumers prices have increased in the past few years and one of the factors driving up those prices is the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. To avoid Houthi, many cargo ships must use much longer and more expensive routes to deliver their goods. The intensifying U.S. strikes on the Houthi also raise the possibility of Iranian retaliation, which could escalate into a larger conflict between the U.S. and Iran.