Americans assert when talking about Yemen that the military actions taken by U.S. forces alongside their allies in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, along with the airstrikes carried out by Americans and Britons on Houthi positions, "have been effective." It is difficult for one to accept this response, and "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" spoke to more than one American official who repeated the same answer. The first official stated that "the mission of U.S. forces is to protect international navigation and strike Houthi capabilities, and we have succeeded in that." U.S. officials emphasize that "every missile we strike is a loss for the Houthis."
However, the Houthis continue their attacks, launching dozens of drones and missiles, and at times, they manage to conduct multi-capacity bombings simultaneously, such as launching anti-ship ballistic missiles along with aerial and maritime drones. They managed to hit one vessel a few days ago, killing three sailors aboard a civilian cargo ship. One U.S. official expressed anger, stating that the reason often lies in the fact that the captains of ships passing through the Gulf of Aden oppose U.S. instructions and insist on sailing according to their plans, endangering the safety of sailors and vessels at the same time, which he confirmed is exactly what happened in recent days.
**Houthi Capabilities**
The assessment of American military officials regarding the military situation in the Red Sea is based on two additional factors: first, that the Houthis possess extensive capabilities, especially concerning the number of missiles and drones they have, which they seized from Yemeni army and Republican Guard bases, and they also manufacture drones, having been assisted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in building these facilities over the years.
Americans are confident that their large ships deployed in the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al-Mandab, and the Red Sea can confront this Houthi threat. They emphasize when talking to "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" that American capabilities are superlative, and the United States can always escalate against the Houthis.
**Non-Escalation**
One spokesperson told "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" that "escalation is a political decision." He added that it is essential to consider what President Biden's administration aims to achieve. Americans believe that one of the primary objectives of their policy in the region since October 7 is to contain the conflict in Gaza and prevent escalation. They now confirm that their forces have managed to strike at Houthi capabilities, and that the Houthis are unable to continue escalating; this should mean containing the Houthis.
**Limited Damage**
Americans also assess that the Houthis have caused limited damage to international navigation, as Houthi attacks have led to rerouting a large number of ships, which, instead of crossing the Red Sea, have turned toward the Cape of Good Hope to avoid danger. One spokesperson stated to "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" that the damage is limited, emphasizing that the number of ships crossing the Bab al-Mandab in both directions remains high, and the rise in insurance prices and shipping costs is limited, as is their impact on the international market.
It is clear that the U.S. administration has conducted a serious assessment of the situation in Yemen over the past three weeks and decided to maintain the current conditions, which means keeping the U.S. fleet in the region, conducting operations to repel attacks, and carrying out extensive strikes with the British when these strikes are beneficial in targeting the core capabilities of the Houthis, such as radar and warehouses. They also aim to expand the coalition to include more countries from the Middle East and Europe.
**No U.S. Escalation**
Interestingly, the Americans have decided on "non-escalation" against the Houthis and their leaders. Sources from "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" indicated weeks ago that the Biden administration considered the possibility of escalating against the Houthis, similar to what was done in Iraq, going from repelling attacks to striking warehouses and capabilities, ultimately targeting Houthi leaders and active elements trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Currently, Americans consider this escalation possible but not necessary, and it could be resorted to if circumstances change and a necessity arises.
