Yemen Monitor/Newsroom
A US Navy commander revealed that the US military leadership rejected a proposal submitted by officers to launch more forceful strikes against the Houthi group in Yemen.
Admiral Mark Miguez, who oversaw most of the missions of the Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group in the Red Sea for eight months, said that a specific strategy was proposed to deal with the Houthis with more aggressive strikes, but the leadership decided that this was not appropriate.
In an interview with YouTuber Ward Karl, Admiral Miguez added, “Threats from Iran-linked groups are handled by higher authorities such as the National Command Authority and the National Security Agency.”
He explained that the Eisenhower carrier launched seven dedicated strikes against Houthi targets during its two-fold deployment from October 2023 to June 2024.
The carrier group previously announced that it had fired more than 500 shells directly at Houthi targets in Yemen, and had intercepted their drones and missiles while they attacked commercial ships in Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The American commander pointed out that in order to stop the attacks, the US needs to mobilize all its resources more forcefully, including diplomacy and economic policy.
He added, “If we can focus on this approach comprehensively, I think that is what will lead to freedom of navigation in this critical strait, which affects about 20% of world trade.”
Since the end of last year, the Houthis have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and recently expanded their operations to the Indian Ocean. They said they are targeting ships linked to Israel, which is launching a brutal attack on the Gaza Strip. However, the Yemeni government and experts say that the Houthis’ goals are local to escape domestic crises and improve their image in the region.
In response, the US and Britain have been launching airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi militants since January 11. As a result, the Houthis announced the expansion of their operations to include US and British ships.
