U.S. Launches Major Strike on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen
As part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” the Houthis have launched over 100 strikes against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) On Friday, the U.S. struck 15 targets in Yemen related to the Iranian-backed Houthis. As part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” the Houthis have launched over 100 strikes against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which was triggered roughly a year ago by Hamas’s brutal cross-border assault on Oct. 7.
The major U.S. effort now in regard to that conflict is not focused on Yemen. Virtually no one talks about the need for a ceasefire in Yemen. That could serve as a warning to the Houthis, but there is little indication that they really understand that.
Rather, the U.S. is now focused on securing a ceasefire in Lebanon. Washington’s initial focus was on concluding a ceasefire in Gaza. However, it has concluded that the Hamas leadership is not really interested in stopping the conflict.
Rather, U.S. intelligence believes that Hamas has been so weakened that it is pinning its hopes on expanding the conflict and bringing in other parties to bolster its position.
This perspective emerged as President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the White House press briefing room on Friday. Biden described the focus on Lebanon, where the U.S. is working with France to secure a ceasefire, even as he characterized the Houthis (along with Hizbollah) as “irrational” and “proxies” of Iran, which, as he explained, makes it difficult to end the fighting.
U.S. Strike on the Houthis
Employing both warships and aircraft, on Friday, CENTCOM attacked 15 Houthi targets in the capital city of Sana’a and in the Red Sea city of Hodeidah, Yemen’s main port, as well as two outlying provinces.
It was the biggest U.S. strike in the nearly year-long conflict between Iran and its proxies. on the one hand, and Israel, on the other.
Notably, this was the first time that the U.S. struck the Yemeni capital.
The strike followed the announcement on Wednesday of new U.S. sanctions on the Houthis’ weapons supply network. But as Kurdistan 24 anticipated, the new sanctions appeared to have little effect on Houthi decision-making. Soon after they were announced, the Houthis launched a drone attack on Israel.
Read More: US Issues Sanctions on Houthi Arms Procurement Networks
Seven of the U.S. strikes targeting the Houthis on Friday were directed at Hodeida, where missiles hit the airport, as well as an area, Katheib, which hosts a Houthi military base.
Four strikes hit targets in Sana’a, while there were also attacks in Dhamar province, in western Yemen, and in Bayda province, some 240 kilometers to the east of Dhamar province.
Who are the Houthis?
\ The Houthis represent a branch of Shi’a Islam—Zaydi Shiites, who constitute some 45% of Yemen’s population of 30 million. The other 55% are Shafi’i Sunnis.
The Houthis are led by the Houthi tribe—hence, the name by which they are commonly called, although they would prefer to be seen as religiously inspired, and they call themselves “Ansar Allah.”
The Houthis are a product of the so-called “Arab Spring.” Nearly two decades ago, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and beginning with George W. Bush, the U.S. encouraged the overthrow of Arab regimes, believing they would be replaced by democracies.
It is clear that was a big mistake—a failed attempt to reproduce Ronald Reagan’s achievement vis-a-vis the Soviet Union in the Middle East.
In 2011, Yemen experienced its Arab Spring “revolution,” and in 2014, the Houthis took over Sana’a. That, in turn, prompted Saudi Arabia to mobilize support among their opponents, and the ensuing conflict came to be seen as a proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran.
After many years of conflict, the Houthis have emerged as the dominant force in Yemen, but they have fallen short of establishing full control.
According to U.S. estimates, the Houthis control only about one-third of Yemeni territory, although that includes some 70-80% of the population.
The Houthis have responded to the U.S. strikes with defiance, but it is unclear that they are making their own decisions. They are heavily dependent on Iran, and, quite possibly, it is Tehran that is directing their bold proclamations.