The Houthi militia, based in Yemen, has been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. The Biden Administration is planning a sustained campaign against them, and the campaign could expand war in the Middle East. However, doing nothing allows a small group to control much of the world’s shipping traffic.
The Houthis is a group formed in the early 1990s, among the northern tribes of Yemen, to establish schools and summer camps for boys. Members began to radicalize after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and began fighting the Yemeni government over perceived wrongs and support for the US. They were part of the Arab Spring. After the government and main rebel forces wore each other down, the Houthis were able to seize large swarths of the country and capture the capital in 2015. Since October, they have launched over 30 drone attacks, missile attacks, or boarding raids on commercial vessels. They claim they are pressuring Israel, but their real goal appears to be to raise their standing in the Arab world. The US built a coalition to condemn the Houthi attacks. The UN Security Council voted 11-0 to denounce them, 20 countries are involved in stopping them, and 40 countries have issued statements against them. The US and its partners have launched air strikes, mostly targeting launch sites, radar sites, and arms depots. The intent is to degrade Houthi capability to execute attacks. The campaign has no set end date.
Degrading capability differs from objectives such as attritting the Houthis as a fighting force or taking out Houthi leadership. Tribal loyalties coupled with religious sectarianism could easily morph into ideology that blows up the situation if the US were to become too intwined. Hence it is essential that the US maintain limited goals. Obtaining the support of the GCC, the principal regional organization, could be incredibly valuable. Ultimately, however, the Houthis are a chiefdom and could never sustain such operations without nation-state backing. It is no secret their support comes from Iran. The US Navy has begun intercepting arms shipments from Iran.
Successful degradation means shipping companies aren’t afraid to use the Red Sea anymore and they stop sending their fleets around Cape Horn. Delays in shipments and increased shipping costs are ultimately a global problem, however. When the world puts pressure on Iran to stop hindering 12% of the world’s ocean-going traffic, the Houthi drama will end.
Source:
Missy Ryan, John Hudson, Abigail Hauslohner, “Houthi Fight has No End in Sight,” Washington Post, 21 January 2024, A1; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/20/us-military-yemen-houthis/
“US and Allies Make the Right Strike against the Houthis,” editorial, Washington Post, 14 January 2024, A26.
“Houthi Movement,” Wikipedia, accessed 25 January 2024.
Photo: Houthi Military Media via Reuters
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