US EditionJust call it a win: What’s behind Trump’s sudden victory declaration against the Houthis?
- On May 6, President Donald Trump declared that the United States would end its nearly two-month campaign of airstrikes targeting the Houthi forces in Yemen, which are supported by Iran, following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Oman.
- The campaign began on March 15 to stop Houthi attacks on US and allied shipping in the Red Sea after the Houthis expanded assaults following October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.
- Despite more than 1,100 US airstrikes destroying weapons and killing fighters, the Houthis continued missile and drone launches, including a May 4 missile that struck near Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport.
- Trump declared the operation a success, citing the Houthis' pledge to cease attacks on US ships and freedom of navigation, with Oman brokered the ceasefire ensuring no strikes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- The sudden halt illustrates US reluctance for prolonged Middle East conflicts despite significant military pressure, leaving uncertainty about long-term Houthi compliance and regional stability.
22 Articles
22 Articles
NYT's Storytime on Trump's Houthi Capitulation - emptywheel
NYT has a story that purports to explain, “Why Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia.” It’s a fantastic story, down to the detail that DOD never achieved air superiority over the Houthis. But it is provably unreliable in at least two ways: the timeline, and the claimed involvement of Trump. Given that the story describes a clusterfuck, it does raise questions about whether there’s an even bigger clusterfuck (or Trump scandal) b…
Sydney Morning Herald
Trump’s new war was costing $1b and going nowhere. Then two jets fell into the sea
The US president had wanted to see fast results when he launched strikes against the Houthis. But by day 31, he wasn’t happy - and looking for a way out. He found one.
The paradox of intervention: How US strikes in Yemen empowered the Houthis
Cover image: picture alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com | Osamah Yahya Following the end of the US military campaign against the Houthis on May 6th, American president Donald Trump claimed the group had “capitulated”. In reality, however, the US pullback is likely as much a result of the mission’s failure as US reluctance to get drawn into a deeper conflict. America started targeting the armed group in December 2023 to halt Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, …
When he approved the reopening of the maritime routes in the Red Sea and the powerful bombing of the Houthi group to destroy it, President Trump asked to see significant results within 30 days, reports The New York Times. After 31 days, the US President, always in the current with the delays in the actions of the Middle East, asked for a report on the progress made by the African army in operations carried out over two months later.
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