Why are the US strikes against the Houthis different this time?

US attacks target the Houthis in Yemen. What's new? And how do they differ from previous attacks? Two US officials attempted to answer these questions and others in interviews with US media on Sunday.

The United States launched intensive military strikes against strategic Houthi facilities in Yemen, a move aimed at ending the ongoing threats posed by the Iranian-backed rebels to navigation in a vital waterway through which approximately 15 percent of global trade passes.

The strikes launched by US forces on Saturday killed at least 31 people, with a US official indicating that the operations "could continue for weeks," at a time when the US administration is intensifying sanctions pressure on Iran, the main backer of the Houthis.

In an interview with NBC on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Morrison said that President Donald Trump wanted to send Iran a "strong and different message than the previous administration."

He said that the Houthis and Iran should know that these strikes are "the beginning and not a single strike."

The reason for the attacks is that the Houthis, with Iranian support, "obstruct global shipping... Obstructing the Suez Canal slows global trade and increases inflation for us and our allies."

He said that about two weeks ago, the president announced the resumption of the "maximum pressure" policy on Iran after "the administration of former President Joe Biden allowed the export of approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil per day," while the current administration's goal is to reduce this number to "zero."

For his part, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed in an interview with ABC on Sunday that the airstrikes differ from the numerous strikes launched by the Biden administration.

"They were not small attacks, but rather a crushing response that actually targeted and eliminated a number of Houthi leaders. The difference here is, first, targeting the Houthi leadership, and second, holding Iran responsible."

He said that Tehran "has repeatedly provided support and training to the Houthis and helped them target not only US warships but also global maritime traffic."

He added, "More than 70 percent of global shipping traffic has taken alternative routes, increasing shipping costs and disrupting the global economy." President Trump has deemed these activities "unacceptable."

"We inherited a catastrophic situation (from the Biden administration)," he said. "These strikes are part of the ongoing efforts to correct this wrong situation and reopen global trade routes."

Asked whether Trump's recent statements meant he would take military action against Iran, Waltz said, "What the president has repeatedly emphasized is that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon."

He continued, stressing, "All options are on the table to ensure that they do not have this program: either they abandon it in a verifiable manner, or they face a whole series of other consequences."

Source: Alhurra