In Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, the Trump administration has announced a more aggressive approach toward Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The escalation comes with a new airstrike campaign that is reportedly more intensified and widespread according to recent evaluations. The series of airstrikes began on March 15 and are still ongoing.
The recent strikes are substantially different from previous operations, executed over a condensed timeframe and marked by a significant increase in frequency compared to the actions under President Biden’s administration. Data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) indicates that 56 separate American airstrike events were recorded between March 15 and March 21. This surge represents the most events in a week since the U.S. initiated its bombing campaign in Yemen amidst the broader conflict involving Israel and Hamas.
The frequency of strikes is partly due to the Trump administration granting U.S. forces in the Middle East broader latitude to conduct offensive operations without needing specific clearance from the White House, a departure from the policy during President Biden’s term. According to Houthi sources, the death toll from the recent attacks stands at 57. This figure is slightly over half the number claimed by Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi as fatalities resulting from U.S. and U.K. strikes in all of 2024. U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz suggested notable Houthi leaders, including their chief missile specialist, have died in these recent strikes, though the Houthis have not confirmed any institutional losses.
The impetus for these airstrikes ties back to the Houthis’ threat to resume assaults on Israeli vessels due to Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Since November 2023, the Houthis launched attacks on over 100 merchant ships using missiles and drones, resulting in the sinking of two ships and the death of four sailors. President Trump has articulated a goal to reestablish safe commercial navigation through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
These military actions have sparked concern among activists. During the Biden administration, the U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for operations in the Middle East, routinely provided detailed public reports on military strikes. The new campaign, however, has not maintained this level of transparency. Airwars, an organization based in the U.K., suggests that there may have been civilian casualties in at least five U.S. strikes, based on visual evidence and Houthi reports. The U.S. military has neither confirmed nor denied these claims and has accused the Houthis of spreading misinformation.
Looking ahead, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its accompanying strike group are scheduled to enter the Middle East, supporting the USS Harry S. Truman already in the Red Sea. This move provides the U.S. military two potential bases for launching airstrikes, as operations from other Middle Eastern nations remain unlikely due to prevailing public opinion siding with Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Satellite imagery has identified three B-2 stealth bombers situated at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia, which could be instrumental in future operations in Yemen. However, analysts acknowledge that airstrikes alone might not suffice to disrupt the Houthis, who have shown significant resilience.
Currently, the Houthis maintain a stronghold in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and control much of the northwest region. An exiled Yemeni government, part of a fragmented coalition, seems unable to reclaim control. On the geopolitical front, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who declared war against the Houthis a decade ago, appear to be pursuing diplomatic engagements with the group rather than re-engaging in active conflict.