The Trump administration has targeted Houthi rebels military and political elements since it initiated its campaign against the Iranian-backed militia in Yemen in mid-March.
This effort is a departure from the Biden administration’s policy, which focused on striking Houthi military hardware instead of personnel in an attempt to get the militia to cease its attacks on international shipping and Western warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Information from within Yemen indicates that several mid-level military officers and soldiers have been killed in the current US campaign.
Since the uptick in American airstrikes on March 16, the Houthis have announced the deaths of several fighters. However, only a handful have been directly attributed to American airstrikes. Reports about other dead Houthis were ambiguous, typically describing slain fighters as being “martyred [while] performing his duty in defense of the homeland.”
There are other reports of US strikes that have killed Houthi leaders, commanders, and foot soldiers. Many of the claims appear to be true. However, it is difficult to address whether some claims are legitimate due to a lack of evidence or reliable sources.
For example, a list compiled by Yemen analyst Muhammad al Basha on April 6 detailed over 100 Houthis of various military ranks who were killed in US strikes. The report states that Houthi-aligned sources have verified some of the death claims but not all.
Another example is that of an undated US airstrike in Hodeidah that reportedly killed Houthi Brigade Commander Shamsan Hussein al Faeq. He allegedly participated in military operations on several fronts for the Houthis. Again, there are no credible reports from the Houthis or other reliable sources that a US strike killed Faeq.
In a development that may indicate US military pressure against the Houthis is yielding results, Iran has reportedly pulled its military advisors out of Yemen to avoid a confrontation with the US. This development comes in the wake of Trump’s direct warnings to hold Iran responsible for the group’s attacks on Israel and US naval assets and commercial vessels in international waters.
The Houthis possess ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones and have used all three weapons systems against commercial vessels and US warships. Some of these weapons were seized from the former Yemeni military, others are currently manufactured by the Houthis with the aid of Iran, and some are supplied by the Iranians. The Houthis also have a decade-long history of harassing and attacking commercial ships operating in the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea.