US website: Washington must adopt new military tactics to end Houthi control of the territory.

The American website, The Maritime Executive , stated that the situation in Yemen is not entirely in the Houthis' favor, while stressing that the ongoing strikes will not be better than Biden's strikes unless the Trump administration adopts new methods that pose a direct challenge to the group's control.

In an opinion piece translated by Yemen Youth Net, the website emphasized the need to change the current military approach against the Houthis, adding that the Trump administration's strikes on Yemen this month are not the first attempt to disrupt ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

The Biden administration launched Operation Sentinel of Prosperity in December 2023, a multinational effort involving 10 nations to ensure freedom of navigation, targeting the Houthis with strikes, and established a multinational naval task force in the Red Sea to protect shipping.

However, neither measure was a deterrent, and therefore "more of the same" will not lead to a different outcome. Shipping traffic through the Red Sea has decreased by 65% since November 2024, while shipping traffic around the Cape of Good Hope has increased by 70%.

According to the article, the problem with the current approach lies in the lack of deterrence and prevention of Houthi actions. The Houthis will continue to send their assault forces, drones, and missiles to attack shipping in the region. The Maritime Task Force will continue to attempt to repel these attacks.

He believes that the US and multinational strikes are a "hit-the-mole" approach, proving their ineffectiveness in addressing the problem, noting that the Houthi war machine continues to thrive in the face of these strikes.

More importantly, according to the article, the Houthis had already largely achieved the objectives of their media campaign by the time the offensive began, and any resulting damage was merely a bonus. This demonstrates the limitations of airstrikes when confronting resilient irregular forces without adequate partner forces on the ground.

It also highlights the need for change. Repeating the same approach will maintain the status quo, with minimal reduction in the threat to maritime traffic.

Despite the Houthis' apparent resilience, the situation in Yemen is not entirely in their favor. They are part of the Shiite minority in an overwhelmingly Sunni-majority country. Their alliance with Iran, coupled with their use of both acute and structural violence in the areas they control, has led to a significant loss of popularity.

The article casts doubt on the Houthis' claims that their actions are limited to supporting Hamas in Gaza. Despite evidence that the narrative of support for "Gaza" is locally popular, assessments that ending the conflict in Gaza will lead to a halt to the strikes are challenged in light of the Houthis' broader motives.

He continued: "The divisions within Yemen, including the presence of resistance groups, present opportunities. Developing partnerships with local actors to weaken and undermine Houthi control could pose challenges. This requires a shift in military approach from kinetic attacks to unconventional warfare."

Since 2015, the Houthis have been facing a Saudi-led coalition of ten countries. The coalition's efforts have included airstrikes, the deployment of ground forces, and the training of resistance factions.

The conflict has eased since the end of a six-month UN-brokered truce in October 2022, and with the resumption of Omani-mediated peace talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in April 2023.

However, "military provocations" continue, and the chronic humanitarian crisis is worsening. Both of these issues—the ongoing internal conflict, supported by external actors, and the dire need for humanitarian relief within Yemen—are matters that political wisdom can use as leverage on the Houthi leadership.

Iran's role cannot be ignored. It has been suggested that the decline of Hezbollah and Hamas makes the Houthis Iran's most prominent proxy against American and Western interests. However, as their regional influence grows, the Houthis are increasingly viewed as a "willing partner" rather than a proxy.

However, it would be helpful to take measures and sanctions to limit Iranian support and find ways to diffuse the conflict between Iranian and Houthi interests. At the same time, other "supporters," including China and Russia, should be exposed and, if possible, held accountable.

The recent US strikes on Houthi targets are likely to prove more effective than mere performance in curbing shipping attacks. These strikes represent a continuation of a flawed approach to addressing the "downstream problem" that began under the Biden administration.

The article concluded by stating that "the Houthi missile threat will only be resolved by 'targeting the source' and adopting new methods that directly challenge the Houthis' control and resilience on the ground."