US ends costly Yemeni campaign after unsatisfactory results
The United States ended its offensive against Yemeni Houthi rebels due to high costs and unsatisfactory outcomes. The first month of operations cost more than $1 billion (£760 million), and the campaign did not achieve the desired results.
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 (£760 million) 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 around $30 million (£22 million).
- What does the truce include? The US agreed to a truce proposed by Oman, which entails 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 the desired outcomes and its costs were substantial. According to The New York Times, the first month of operations cost the US over $1 billion (£760 million). Considerable resources were deployed for the operation, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, B-2 bombers, and Patriot and THAAD air defence systems.
Costly US operation
Despite intense efforts, 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 narrowly avoided being 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 it became necessary to assist Taiwan in repelling a potential 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 ceasing airstrikes. However, the agreement does not cover Houthi attacks on Israel.
Initially, the US military had planned for the offensive against the Houthis to last 8-10 months. However, President Trump ordered an evaluation of its effects after just a month, which, according to The NYT, indicates his unwillingness to engage in lengthy conflicts in the Middle East.
