On January 12, 2024, the US and partners, including the UK, started a military operation against the Houthis. Throughout the year, the US military conducted hundreds of strikes against military targets in Houthi-controlled areas.
However, these strikes did not end the group’s missile attacks, and apparently did not impact its capabilities. As the inauguration of the US President-elect Donald Trump draws near, questions arise regarding his approach to the Houthi attacks.
In the light of this, the Former Senior Military Advisor to US Department of State, Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, pointed out that Trump’s recent statements on the Middle East indicate a hardline approach towards what his administration perceives as a threat to the US interests.
Col. Dahouk told Alkhaleej Online that Trump “will not tolerate any other threats to the US navy in the region and the near-daily Houthi attacks by Iranian missiles and drones.”
“He will likely respond forcefully to prevent future attacks. He may also hold Iran responsible for any damage caused to the US military personnel. This could also involve a direct action against Iran if the Iranian-supplied weapons caused any loss of American lives,” Col. Dahouk added.
According to the Former Senior Military Advisor to US Department of State, the Trump administration “will put the Houthi back on the US State Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organizations on Trump’s first day in office.” This will authorize the US military to target the Houthi senior leaders and field commanders, Col. Dahouk noted.
Furthermore, “Trump may not intervene in Israel’s operations in Yemen, allowing it to target the Houthi’s infrastructure and complete the US operations,” he said.
Col. Dahouk said that this cooperative approach between the Israeli army and the US CENTCOM could help in weakening the Houthis and mitigating their threat on the regional and international security.
