The U.S. Defense Department has made the decision to keep an aircraft carrier stationed in the Middle East, maintaining a total of two carriers in the region. This action is largely in response to the ongoing conflict with the Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
For the past seven weeks, the U.S. military has been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis as retaliation for their assaults on commercial and U.S. naval vessels.
The Houthis, supported by Iran, have been in a protracted conflict since 2014 when they seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, along with large portions of its northern highlands and the coast adjacent to the Red Sea.
Despite efforts from the Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, the Houthis have remained resilient, resisting defeat even after years of U.S.-supported airstrikes.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have escalated attacks on over 100 commercial vessels and U.S. Navy ships, claiming these actions were in solidarity with Palestine during the war in Gaza.
However, the Houthis have been targeting a broader range of vessels beyond those linked to Israel. Previous cease-fires in Gaza saw the group temporarily halt their actions, but renewed aggression from Israel, including blockades on humanitarian aid, prompted the Houthis to recommit to their attacks.
In mid-March, the U.S. intensified its air campaign, explicitly aiming to target Houthi leadership and promising to continue operations until such threats in the Red Sea, a critical trade corridor, were neutralized.
To delve deeper into the situation, Nick Schifrin interviewed Mustapha Noman, the vice foreign minister of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, regarding the conflict dynamics and U.S. military assistance.
Noman expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness of the U.S. bombing campaign. He noted, ‘Nobody has an assessment or a conclusive figure of what’s happening, what are the losses, how much are the Houthis weakened?’ This lack of clarity, he argues, complicates the Yemeni government’s ability to assess whether the campaign is fulfilling its objectives.
He added concern regarding potential scenarios, questioning what might happen if the Houthis suddenly ceased their attacks on vessels. ‘What would be the response of the administration?’ he asks, indicating the Yemeni government’s quest for clarity on U.S. intent.
Vice President J.D. Vance indicated on a recent news program that the U.S. military campaign would conclude if the Houthis ceased attacking civilian ships. Noman, however, conveys skepticism about this notion of a ceasefire solving Yemen’s broader issues.
According to him, even if the Houthis halted their assaults, it wouldn’t resolve the underlying challenges in Yemen. ‘That would create a vacuum that nobody can fill,’ he warned, suggesting that extremist groups like al-Qaida or ISIS could exploit any power vacuum left by the Houthis.
His remarks highlighted the critical need for a strengthened Yemeni national army to reclaim territories currently held by the Houthis, something he believes has not been adequately addressed by U.S. policy.
Noman pointed out, ‘The air campaign has never succeeded anywhere.’ He stressed that military success requires a robust ground offensive alongside air support, a component that appears to be lacking in the current strategy.
As U.S. operations continue, questions linger over the Yemeni government’s preparedness and ability to follow through if the Houthis were indeed weakened sufficiently.
An urgent matter also persists regarding the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where over 19.5 million people, more than half the population, rely on aid. According to recent assessments, approximately five million individuals have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
Historically, the United States has served as Yemen’s largest donor, but recent cuts in USAID funding have led to significant disruptions in humanitarian initiatives, particularly in Southern Yemen.
Noman provided alarming statistics highlighting the impact of these aid cuts. The World Food Program previously sustained 9.5 million Yemenis but is now projected to cut that number to a mere 2.2 million by the year’s end, potentially resulting in widespread famine.
He emphasized the dire need for continued humanitarian assistance, warning, ‘The population is not going to go into hunger. It’s going to go into famine because of this cut in USAID.’
Even if U.S. aid resumed, Noman fears it would be insufficient to meet the previous levels of support provided.
The duality of military and humanitarian efforts is vital. Noman articulated that without addressing both sides, air campaigns are unlikely to yield the desired outcomes.
‘If you want to win this war in the Houthi areas, you have to make the population elsewhere feel secure and supported,’ he insisted.
As the landscape in Yemen remains precarious, the intertwined fates of the military campaign against the Houthis and the humanitarian crisis continue to unfold. The Yemeni government is at a crossroads, grappling with both immediate threats and long-term repercussions. The outcome of ongoing U.S. military support and humanitarian aid decisions will prove critical in shaping Yemen’s future.
image source from：https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/top-yemeni-official-visits-washington-seeking-more-u-s-support-in-fighting-houthis
