by Murad Abdo
ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- One year into the U.S.-led military intervention against Yemen's Houthis, military analysts argue that the campaign has fallen short of its primary objective of securing maritime navigation safety through critical waterways.
Yemeni experts said the military campaign had not curtailed Houthi maritime attacks, as the group has shown increased military sophistication and expanded its operational reach across strategic waterways.
Launched on Jan. 12, 2024, the U.S.-led campaign initially aimed to safeguard shipping through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The military campaign was launched in response to the Houthis' frequent rocket and drone attacks on Israel and "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis claimed these actions were taken to express solidarity with Palestinians amid their ongoing conflict with Israelis.
Amid the exchange of fire, the Houthi group deployed the hypersonic "Palestine-2" missile to strike Israeli targets and shot down U.S.-made MQ-9 drones. The Houthis also claimed that they had launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. aircraft carriers in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, U.S.-led airstrikes targeted Houthi-controlled ports and military sites, causing casualties and infrastructure damage.
On Sunday, Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthis' supreme political council, said the armed group had "demonstrated unprecedented capabilities, effectively challenging American military supremacy."
"The introduction of hypersonic 'Palestine-2' missiles and advanced Jaffa drones has demonstrated our ability to penetrate sophisticated air defense systems," he said, adding the Houthis had shot down 14 MQ-9 drones over the past year, which he called "a success in neutralizing American surveillance capabilities."
Ali Bin Hadi, a retired military official and expert based in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, noted that the Houthis have proven more adaptable than many had anticipated. Despite facing intense military pressure, the Houthi group has shown its ability to sustain long-term military operations, he said.
"From a military perspective, the U.S.-led operation has proven ineffective in achieving its primary objectives," said Mohammed Al-Khaled, a Yemeni military expert. "The deployment of three U.S. aircraft carriers has failed to secure Israeli-related ships' passage through the Red Sea, challenging America's long-standing naval dominance. These carriers have faced significant operational constraints from Houthi forces."
However, despite frequent attacks launched by the Houthis against Israeli and U.S. targets, their effects remain to be assessed.
Figures released by the Israeli military earlier this month indicated that Houthi forces have launched about 40 surface-to-surface missiles and 320 drones toward Israel since October 2023. Most of them were intercepted, the figures showed.
Meanwhile, rounds of U.S.-led airstrikes have disrupted Houthi logistics networks, according to Muqbel Naji, a political analyst based in Aden.
"The Houthis' economic resources, particularly the port of Hodeidah, have been severely impacted, limiting their ability to receive support from regional allies," Naji explains. However, he added that the strikes "have not fully deterred the Houthis' maritime operations."
In response to Houthi attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Jan. 10 that "Yemen's Houthis are paying and will continue to pay a heavy price for their aggression (on Israel)," describing them as "a threat to Israel and the entire region."
Netanyahu made the remarks following dozens of airstrikes launched by the Israeli military and U.S.-British naval coalition on the same day on Yemen's capital Sanaa, northern Amran province, and Hodeidah.
The maritime security situation has evolved into a more complex challenge than initially anticipated, experts have warned.
"The current trajectory suggests we may witness a broader regional conflict," said Yemeni military observer Abu Al-Badreen. ■