Since entering office, the administration has greatly expanded US military action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. In the last three days alone, airstrikes have reportedly killed 33 individuals and injured 80. These strikes purposefully targeted the Ras Isa oil port to deny the Houthis access to key resources. The US government has called this revenue “illegal,” but it has been underwriting the group’s dominance across the region for over 15 years.
This effort appears to be much more expansive than anything ever attempted previously. It goes beyond measures included in former President Joe Biden’s administration. Our strategy has changed direction. Today, it effectively reaches ranking leaders and heartland cities, going far beyond the original focus of solely hitting launch sites. The US military’s Central Command made clear that this escalation is designed to reduce the Houthis’ financial base.
On April 19, the US State Department condemned this type of oil shipment to Yemen. They made their concerns known, expressing deep concern over the Houthis’ operations against maritime vessels. Over the past few months, the Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones. These attacks have already sunk two ships and resulted in the fatality of four sailors. Their rules of interpretation of what counts as an Israeli ship have been notoriously ambiguous, leading to fears of mistaken targeting.
“The United States will not tolerate any country or commercial entity providing support to foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Houthis, including offloading ships and provisioning oil at Houthi-controlled ports,” stated the US State Department.
Graphic video footage shown on the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel showed gnarly damage from the attack, callously zooming in on decapitated victims. Corpses were strewn over the entire area. Some have asked whether these strikes are having a humanitarian impact. US Central Command clarified their stance on civilian casualties, stating:
“This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully.” – US military’s Central Command
These strikes are aimed at immediate, specific military targets. They find themselves as well in the middle of an administration effort to further squeeze Iran over its rapidly accelerating nuclear program. As the U.S. continues to ramp up tensions in the region, tensions remain extremely high. The international community continues to monitor the humanitarian impact and geopolitical consequences.
The war in Yemen has raged for more than a decade. In turn, it has produced one of the globe’s worst humanitarian disasters. Recent airstrikes cast light on the complicated relationships and forces at play. Nations are crudely jockeying for their self-interested aims in a region full of turmoil and bloodshed.