Preface
In recent news, there has been a lot of reporting on the Houthis, the Red Sea, and the US and UK bombing of Yemen. There is certainly a lot to unpack here. Furthermore, the international response and public response to the actions of the Houthis is a topic I have found very gripping, and I hope you will too. I will begin with a brief and simple background on the Houthis of Yemen, then summarize the events that led to the US and UK bombing and Houthi response. On this topic, I will also be including an analysis of the issue including my opinion and two cents– take it or leave it.
Who are the Houthis?
The Houthis are essentially a paramilitary group that do not have official, internationally recognized political authority. Yet, they hold power over certain regions of Yemen. The Houthis were once a much less equipped and powerful group as they were once a small militia supported by Iran (Nereim & Al-Batati, 2024). Now, they have numbers, weapons, and a strong anti-American attitude. For the past decade, Yemen has been in a civil war primarily between the Houthis and an opposing force equipped with American weapons and led by Saudi Arabia (Nereim & Al-Batati, 2024).
This domestic conflict has taken a severe toll on the civilians in Yemen, causing famine and countless deaths. A few years ago, the Saudi-led Houthi resistance was called off due to the rapid deterioration of Yemen’s population and international pressure (Nereim & Al-Batati, 2024). Presently, the Houthis hold power in northern Yemen and have recently caught further international attention due to their recent actions in the Red Sea.
The Attacks in the Red Sea
The Houthis have been causing some problems in the international trade system. Yemen is in a very strategic position because they are directly next to the Red Sea, which is a highly populated boat route that is a passage for hundreds of vessels transporting goods between countries. The Houthis have been attacking these ships on foot and by air strike in attempts to disrupt their trade routes.
However, the Houthis claim that they are targeting ships that are headed toward Israel in attempts to advocate for Palestine and the war happening in Gaza, and send a message of rebellion against allies of Israel (BBC News, 2024). In addition, they are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and standing in solidarity with Palestinians who are desperate for international pressures to lead to peace and to fight back against Israel.
International Response
The event that you have likely seen on the news in the past couple days is the international response to the Houthis’ actions in the Red Sea. More specifically, the US and UK bombing of Yemen. The US and the UK state that they targeted Houthi territory, specifically known Houthi bases (Grierson et al., 2024). I have included a clear image of the areas targeted which I retrieved from the great article written in The Guardian that is linked here and cited under sources.
Despite prior warning of the incoming strike given by the US, the Houthis report that five of their members were killed. The US and UK have made their stance on the issue and justification for the bombings very clear. They have stated that the disruption of trade routes takes a toll on many countries and destabilizes the global economy (Grierson et al., 2024). Therefore, the attacks in the Red Sea could not go on without repercussions and the Houthi forces should be weakened to hinder future attacks of passing commercial ships.
Discussion Following the Bombings
Now that we all have a basic understanding of the conflict, there is a lot of discussion that has stemmed from this issue. Primarily, The Houthis have made it clear in their response to the US and UK bombings that they will not stop targeting and attacking Israel-bound ships in the red sea (Nereim & Al-Batati, 2024). What is more interesting is that this response is not entirely surprising. The Houthis have made their hatred for Americans and Israelis very clear, and essentially welcome the opportunity to have further conflict with the United States (Nereim & Al-Batati, 2024). So, some argue that the bombing of Yemen will only encourage the Houthis and potentially foster further support for their cause within Yemen.
Furthermore, as discussed previously in this post, Saudi Arabia took the bombing approach to fight the Houthis for almost a decade… with no success. Again, the history of this group proves that violent push-back and threats do not deter their cause or encourage the Houthis to back down. The only people who suffer are the civilians in Yemen. In my opinion, I struggle to find the rationale behind the US and UK bombings considering it is blatantly clear that this response would not end the attacks in the Red Sea.
I find the quick action taken by the US and UK fascinating, as the threat to trade routes evidently takes some precedent over what is happening in Gaza. Some argue that amping up the efforts to work towards a ceasefire in Gaza would have been a better approach to deter the Houthi attacks. Personally, in this case I agree. On the other hand, I do understand that taking a stand against Israel opens the pandoras box of international relations, however, perhaps it is time to make some real progress towards peace and human rights.
Summary of my Thoughts
Here is the brief summary of my thoughts: the Houthis claim that they are standing up for Palestinians. Let’s say for arguments sake this is true and they are not opportunists as some may argue. Rather than working towards a ceasefire, the US and UK bomb them as a deterrent, claiming it is to protect international trade. If anyone in a decision-making position looked at the values, beliefs and history of this group, they would know that this would not work. To me, this is suspicious.
Why bomb a country that has been in the midst of civil war for a decade and on the brink of famine for years when the group that got them there will only be further motivated by violent international backlash? Surely there are a number of intelligent individuals that are in a powerful position to act on this matter, why weren’t better solutions offered?
Key Terms
Paramilitary Group: a group that has similar composition to an official military group but is not recognized as a legitimate or professional military force in the given country
Opportunist: in this context, a person or group who uses a situation (such as the war in Gaza) as reason to justify their actions, rather than consistent principles or long-standing plans
Sources
BBC News. (2024, January 12). Yemen: Why did US and UK carry out strikes on Houthis? – BBC News [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w141y1lsfIk
Grierson, J., Swan, L., Scruton, P., & Morresi, E. (2024, January 12). US-UK Houthi strikes: visual guide to the attack in Yemen. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/12/us-uk-houthi-strikes-attack-yemen-visual-guide#:~:text=The%20US%20said%20more%20than%20100%20precision%2Dguided%20munitions%20of,and%20an%20airfield%20at%20Abs.
Nereim, V., & Al-Batati, S. (2024, January 13). U.S.-Led Strikes Leave Yemen Back on the Brink of War. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/13/world/middleeast/american-strikes-yemen-war.html
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