U.S. halts costly offensive against Yemeni Houthis after failures
The United States ended its offensive against Yemeni Houthi rebels due to high costs and lack of results. The first month of operations cost more than $1 billion (1 billion CAD), and the campaign did not achieve the intended outcomes.
What do you need to know?
- Why did the US end the offensive? The campaign against the Houthis did not yield the expected results, despite costing the US over $1 billion (1.4 billion CAD) in the first month.
- What were the US losses? The US Navy lost two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, and the Houthis shot down seven MQ-9 drones, each costing about $30 million (42 million CAD).
- What does the truce include? The US agreed to a truce proposed by Oman, which includes halting Houthi attacks on American units in exchange for stopping airstrikes.
President Donald Trump ended the US offensive against Yemeni Houthi rebels because the campaign did not achieve results, and its costs were enormous. According to The New York Times, the first month of operations cost the US over $1 billion (1.4 billion CAD). Enormous resources were mobilized for the operation, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, B-2 bombers, and Patriot and THAAD air defence systems.
Costly US operation
Despite intense actions, the campaign did not achieve the desired effects. The Houthis shot down seven MQ-9 drones, and the US Navy lost two F/A-18 Super Hornet jets. Additionally, several American F-16 and F-35 fighters were nearly hit by Houthi air defence, increasing the risk of casualties among American soldiers.
So much ammunition was used, particularly long-range precision missiles, that Pentagon planners were concerned about stockpile levels in the event of a possible need to assist Taiwan in repelling a Chinese invasion, reports The New York Times.
Both the US and the Houthis presented the agreement as a victory. The truce, proposed by Oman, includes halting Houthi attacks on American units in exchange for stopping airstrikes. However, the agreement does not include Houthi attacks on Israel.
Initially, the US military planned for the offensive against the Houthis to last 8-10 months. However, President Trump ordered an assessment of its effects after just a month, which, according to The NYT, shows his reluctance to engage in long-term conflicts in the Middle East.
