Trump ends costly offensive: U.S. seals truce with Houthis
President Donald Trump decided to end the U.S. offensive against the Yemeni Houthi rebels, which had lasted over a month. As reported by the "New York Times," the campaign was not yielding the expected results, and its costs were significant. The first month of operations alone cost the United States over $1 (CAD 1.4) billion.
A significant force was engaged in the operation against the Houthis, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, B-2 bombers, and Patriot and THAAD air defence systems. The rebels shot down seven MQ-9 drones, each worth approximately $30 (CAD 42) million.
The U.S. Navy also lost two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, which fell into the Red Sea.
Threat to American soldiers
According to "NYT" sources, several American F-16 and F-35 fighter jets were nearly hit by Houthi air defences, posing a real threat to the lives of American soldiers. The use of ammunition, including precision long-range missiles, raised Pentagon concerns about stockpiles in the context of potential military aid to Taiwan.
Truce with the Houthis
From April 15 to May 5, over 1,100 attacks were conducted against the Houthis, killing hundreds of militants, including several commanders. Nonetheless, the campaign did not achieve the intended outcomes. Trump announced that the U.S. goal was to stop the Houthis' attacks on the Red Sea and "completely destroy" this group. However, the rebels, supported by Iran, continued to shell commercial vessels and U.S. ships.
Diplomatic solution
In the absence of progress, Trump agreed to a truce proposed by Oman, which involved halting Houthi attacks on American units in exchange for ceasing air raids. Both the U.S. and the Houthis presented the agreement as their victory. However, the truce does not include Houthi attacks on Israel, which surprised the nation.
Initially, the offensive was planned to last 8-10 months, but Trump decided to review it after just a month, demonstrating his reluctance for prolonged conflicts in the Middle East.
