Janice R. Andrews
A noteworthy development is that around 90% of the targets attacked by US-led airstrikes in Yemen that target Houthi-controlled areas have sustained damage. Nonetheless, according to two U.S. officials, the Houthi militia still possesses roughly 75% of its capacity to fire missiles and drones against ships passing through the Red Sea.
The purpose of the Thursday and Friday operations was to limit the Houthis’ ability to launch sophisticated drone and missile attacks. The military’s Joint Staff director, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, said that the strikes succeeded in their goal of undermining the Houthis’ capacity for such assaults.
Even still, the two U.S. officials issued a warning, noting that the strikes only destroyed or damaged 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis’ offensive capabilities, while striking over 60 drone and missile targets. This feature, which is frequently installed on mobile platforms, is flexible and portable, making it simple to transfer or hide.
The difficulty of identifying Houthi targets is one of the main problems facing the United States and its allies. Precise targeting has been hindered by insufficient information about the locations of Houthi air defences, command centres, and other vital infrastructure. Following the Houthi attacks on commercial ships in support of the Palestinians in Gaza, there is a greater need to close this gap.
The air and naval bombardment on Thursday night used dynamic targeting to strike both previously determined and unidentified targets. It is anticipated that dynamic targeting will continue to be necessary for possible future strikes.
The Houthis have been vocal in their rhetoric, but their military reaction to the latest strike has been meagre; thus far, only one anti-ship missile has been fired into the Red Sea without incident. But as the Houthis evaluate their remaining weapons and prepare an offensive, U.S. authorities are bracing for possible reprisal.
General Sims stressed the determination of the United States and its allies to keep control of the region and cautioned against such reprisals. As the impact of Thursday night’s airstrikes is further assessed, commentators are speculating about the prospect of fresh reattacks, thus the situation is still fluid.
