Is Washington's strategy in confronting the Houthis in Yemen changing? American reports present new scenarios, including "targeting leaders"

US officials are struggling with how to increase pressure on the Houthis, with some seeing force alone as ineffective while others believe there are more effective methods than targeting Houthi leaders.

Over the past few days, American press analysis and coverage has focused on imagining scenarios in which the Trump administration could deal with the Houthis, while the Biden administration confirms that it is working continuously to stop the ongoing attacks launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis against ships in the Red Sea, which have become a source of concern for Washington.

CNN quoted US officials in the Biden administration criticizing the current course of the operation, saying, "It is very expensive and impractical to continue launching multi-million dollar missiles at cheap Houthi drones and missiles."

Outside the US administration, some former officials say the administration has taken a very conservative approach and needs to focus on targeting Houthi leaders rather than their weapons stockpiles. This requires changing the US defense strategy against the Houthis.

The National Interest analysis expected that the Trump administration will launch a series of strikes on high-level Houthi leaders and military sites to weaken the group, pointing to the vision adopted by Trump-appointed US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, towards the Houthis in dealing with them more firmly.

Increase in Houthi attacks

The issue has become more acute, especially in light of the noticeable increase in Houthi attacks over the past two days, and the Houthis’ deployment of an underwater drone for the first time last week has raised concerns among American officials.

The drone was eventually destroyed by US forces but it poses an "unknown threat and could be very lethal," Adm. Mark Meijs, commander of Carrier Strike Group 2 from the Dwight D. Eisenhower, told CNN last week.

He added that the United States "has little accurate information regarding what these weapons the Houthis possess."

Some officials believe that Houthi attacks might stop if the war in Gaza ends, while others argue that the United States now needs to shift to a stronger international pressure campaign and better emphasize how the attacks are impeding humanitarian aid shipments to the poor, including the Yemeni people.

Officials said the Houthis are deeply concerned about their public image inside Yemen, and have tried to portray themselves as fighting to improve the lives of Palestinians and end the Israeli war in Gaza.

Officials noted that while the Houthis are not very popular in the areas of Yemen they control, the Palestinian cause itself is very popular among Yemenis, according to the American network.

Houthis are looking for legitimacy

Meanwhile, officials said the Houthis also crave international legitimacy, wanting recognition as an official government and having fought for it for years as part of a civil war against the Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen's internationally recognized government.

According to the American network, "some senior officials within the US administration believe that the Houthis will keep their word and stop their attacks if Israel ends its war in Gaza, which is something some former officials say privately is just wishful thinking."

The U.S. administration has repeatedly downplayed Houthi claims in public that they are attacking ships as a means of pressuring Israel to cease fire, but some senior officials privately acknowledge that it is entirely possible that the Houthis will stop if Israel does. Officials say they cannot wait to see if a ceasefire will materialize in response to Houthi aggression.

Washington needs a tough stance against the Houthis

Another American analysis criticized the US administration's handling of the Houthis who are launching attacks in the Red Sea, and considered that Washington's current approach does not rise to the required level, and increased the Houthis' threats in Iran facilitating secret negotiations between Russia and the Houthis to provide them with anti-ship missiles.

The analysis of the American magazine " National Review" - translated by "Yemeni Youth Net" - saw that the Houthi threat has not diminished, but rather they have transformed into an armed group with regional ambitions, and their power has been strengthened by military support from Iran. It pointed out that "financial support facilitated indirectly by China, by purchasing 90% of Iran's oil through illicit channels, China has effectively enabled Iran to finance the Houthis."

The Houthi terrorist group has become a major threat to maritime security and global trade, and there are indications that it is expanding its influence in Somalia, where US intelligence reports indicate that the Houthis have been in talks to supply weapons to al-Shabaab.

The United States has worked to limit the influence of the Houthis, by launching Operation Guardian of Prosperity, reclassifying the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, and spending $4.86 billion to confront their activities, according to the American magazine.

“The United States should seize the opportunity to weaken Iran’s proxies to confront the Houthis, whose actions have destabilized the Red Sea, harmed U.S. allies, and paved the way for Russia, China, and Iran to assert dominance over the strategic waters,” the magazine’s analysis said.

“Russia and China have long viewed the Red Sea as a region of strategic importance, with each seeking to establish a foothold that could rival U.S. influence,” the analysis noted. “Beijing has invested heavily in regional maritime infrastructure, and Russia has used political instability in Sudan to negotiate the establishment of a base on the Red Sea.”

Houthi attacks have caused an estimated $2.1 billion in losses in maritime trade. According to a report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, 65 countries have been affected, most of them allies or partners of the United States.

Trump Administration Military Options

The American magazine's analysis saw that the Trump administration should move from a defensive stance to a more assertive strategy towards the Houthis. As Brian Hook, the former special envoy for Iran, said, "President Trump understands that the main driver of instability in the Middle East today is the Iranian regime."

The Israeli strikes that targeted the assassination of senior figures from Iran's allies have greatly undermined Tehran's credibility as a patronage power. In this context, the American magazine has set four options that can be implemented to deter the Houthis, as follows.

Firstly,The Trump administration could carry out military strikes not only against Houthi targets but also against the Houthi-supporting division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, which has been instrumental in providing political and military support to the Houthis.

Second, given the Houthis’ reliance on Iranian missiles and drones, Washington could consider allying with Israel by carrying out precision airstrikes on high-value targets such as Iranian drone production facilities.

The American magazine believed that "such an operation would not only disrupt vital supply chains for the Houthis, but would also limit Russia's access to Iranian drones, which were deployed in the war against Ukraine."

The US Defense Intelligence Agency reported in February that “since 2017, Iran has deployed advanced drones to global conflict zones.” The longer Washington delays addressing this issue, the more Iran will continue to undermine the United States as a maritime and commercial power.

Third, more stringent sanctions on Sino-Iranian economic cooperation will be necessary to dry up the financial resources of both the IRGC and the Houthis. In the first quarter of 2024, Iranian oil exports reached record levels, driven mainly by Beijing’s continued purchases.

The Congressional Research Service reported that China considers the economic benefits of importing Iranian oil to outweigh the risks of potential U.S. sanctions. However, if the Trump administration adopts a more aggressive policy of imposing sanctions and targeting China-based entities, it could undermine the financial benefits of such cooperation.

Finally, The Trump administration should support the Houthis’ opponents, the internationally recognized government in Yemen, which has been bogged down for years in a disjointed U.N.-led peace process. Strengthening the legitimate government will be essential to helping Yemenis reclaim their country from Iranian-backed militias. Contrary to popular belief, the Houthis are not popular in Yemen.