Why Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia
The militant group in Yemen was still firing at ships and shooting down drones, while U.S. forces were burning through munitions.
It Is Happening Every Day, Every Where
The militant group in Yemen was still firing at ships and shooting down drones, while U.S. forces were burning through munitions.
It was unclear whether the Houthis were going to stop impeding international shipping, which was the objective of the American bombing campaign.
President Trump ordered a start to the strikes against the Houthis on March 15. Congressional officials say the campaign has cost well over $1 billion.
An explosion near a UNESCO world heritage site in Yemen’s capital on Sunday killed 12 people, according to health authorities tied to the Houthi-led government.
American military officials say the Pentagon might need to dip into stockpiles in Asia to replenish supplies in the Middle East, congressional aides say.
In just three weeks, the Pentagon has used $200 million worth of munitions in Operation Rough Rider against the Houthi militia, officials said.
Men and women who have taken to the air on behalf of the United States expressed bewilderment after the leak of attack plans. “You’re going to kill somebody,” one pilot said.
U.S. officials seek to curb the militants’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea, but the group was not deterred by strikes in the Biden era and won’t be beaten by air power alone, experts say.
War plan or battle plan? Classified or not? The answers to those questions amount to a distinction without much of a difference.
Trump officials have demanded more European military spending and questioned the continent’s values. Leaked messages show the depth of the rift.