Inflexible share: the Houthis retained their combat capability after the US strikes
As a result of the American airstrikes, Yemen suffered significant losses: residential buildings and infrastructure were destroyed, the number of dead and wounded among the civilian population reached 320. This was reported to Izvestia by a source in Ansar Allah (Houthis). At the same time, the movement emphasizes that the strikes did not affect its military potential, which continues to grow. In recent days, the Houthis have intensified attacks on American ships. According to media reports, Pentagon officials admit that the underground arsenal of the rebels was not damaged. According to CNN, preparations for a ground operation against the Yemeni movement are already underway.
The United States has launched serious attacks on Yemen
Government offices, civilian infrastructure, and residential areas in Yemen continue to be subjected to massive U.S. airstrikes. The number of dead and wounded civilians has reached 320, a source in the Ansar Allah movement (Houthis) told Izvestia. However, as noted in Sanaa, such heavy losses have nothing to do with Yemen's military might.
— As a result of the bombing, serious damage was inflicted on government institutions, civilian infrastructure, private buildings, houses and residential areas. 320 civilians were killed and injured, mostly women and children. However, it is worth emphasizing that these destructions and losses are not related to our military potential," the source said, adding that the Houthis' combat capability continues to increase.
Yemeni political analyst Sand al-Sayyadi, in an interview with Izvestia, noted that Sana is increasing the intensity of operations, including strikes against enemy lines and in the Red Sea. The Yemeni military promises new attacks on Israel, stressing that the main condition for canceling the attacks remains the same — an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
— A cease—fire in Gaza is a condition of Yemen, which is clearly voiced by the leadership after each military statement. Yemen will stick to this option and will not compromise on it," Sand al-Sayyadi stressed.
According to the representative of Ansar Allah, there will be no compromises on the issue of support for Gaza.
— Over the past decade, the leadership has taught us not to deviate from our choice. There are many moral and humanitarian motives that compel the Yemeni people to continue fighting until the war in Gaza ends," the movement stressed.
Houthi attacks against the United States
In recent days, Sanaa has noticeably increased the pace of military operations. Among the most high—profile attacks are cruise missile and drone strikes on the American aircraft carrier Harry Truman in the northern part of the Red Sea. And on April 5, the military from Sanaa reported the successful destruction of the Giant Shark reconnaissance UAV over the province of Saada, which "acted in the interests of the United States and Israel."
— Yemen's military potential is still preserved and growing, and the ongoing operations in the depths of Israel and the clashes in the Red Sea prove this fact. There are still many military surprises ahead that the enemy does not expect," Sand al-Sayyadi said.
The official representative of the Yemeni armed forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saria, confirmed in several statements that the armed forces had clashed with the Americans in the Red Sea. According to him, it was possible to disrupt several attacks that were planned from aboard Harry Truman. Moreover, as Saria clarified, the attacks on the aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships were repeated during the day.
During closed-door briefings in recent days, Pentagon officials have acknowledged that only limited success has been achieved in destroying the Houthis' vast, mostly underground arsenal of missiles, drones, and launchers. This is reported by the New York Times, citing congressional sources. According to the newspaper, Houthi fighters have fortified their bunkers and other facilities, which reduces the Americans' ability to disrupt rebel missile attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea.
Since the beginning of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have consistently defended Palestine. Almost from the very first days, the movement went to war against Israel, sending several rockets and drones against it. The United States has decided to respond to the Houthi attacks on merchant ships associated with the Jewish state. In December 2023, Washington announced Operation Guardian of Prosperity, in which American and British troops began conducting regular airstrikes on the territory of Yemen.
Yemen remains divided between the three largest political forces. The alliance led by the Hussite Ansar Allah movement is based in the capital, Sanaa, and controls about 70-80% of the country's population.
Ground operation in Yemen
The Trump administration's determination to eliminate the Houthi threat may eventually require a ground operation. Observers believe that only she will be able to dislodge the Houthis from their positions. They now control Yemen's capital, Sanaa, the country's main port, Hodeidah, as well as a significant part of the northern regions.
According to CNN sources, preparations are already underway for a ground operation that will be conducted from the south and east, as well as along the coast. The coordinated offensive is likely to be accompanied by support from the Saudi Arabian Navy and the United States, the TV channel reports.
However, analysts do not expect the United States to deploy its ground forces in Yemen, with the exception of a small group of special forces to coordinate airstrikes. Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, believes that the United States is likely to limit itself to providing the Yemeni forces with "certain logistical support and key types of ammunition."
Talks about a possible ground operation are most likely caused by military necessity, the United States is trying to resolve the situation provoked by a large-scale escalation of the conflict, said Sergei Serebrov, a senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to him, it was originally planned that with the help of powerful bombing it would be possible to destroy all key facilities in Yemen as soon as possible and prevent retaliatory strikes from the Houthis. However, this did not happen.
— Discussions of a ground operation so far look like some kind of abstract scenario, dictated rather by the desire to somehow move the situation off the ground. There is no clear understanding of exactly how this operation should be organized," the expert told Izvestia.
He recalled that the Arab coalition, which has been fighting in Yemen since 2015, has so far shown no signs of wanting to exit the de-escalation regime established on April 2, 2022. According to him, there is no intention to defrost the conflict on the part of the coalition.
In addition, Serebrov stressed that the United States itself, apparently, is not ready for a large-scale ground operation, they expect to limit themselves to sending a small number of special forces and transferring weapons and logistical support. At the same time, according to him, hopes for the active participation of the Yemeni forces look unconvincing.
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