The U.S. military has hit more than 800 targets in Yemen during a 40-day airstrike campaign against the Houthis, a terrorist group threatening commercial ships in the region for more than a year.
“We will continue to increase the pressure and further disintegrate Houthi capabilities as long as they continue to impede freedom of navigation,” U.S. Central Command, conducting the operation, wrote in a statement Sunday.
Since the campaign began March 15, the Pentagon has released scant details about its progress, how much it’s costing and the number of civilians harmed. In its statement, CENTCOM argued the hesitancy draws from an effort to protect “operational security,” though it released far more regular updates during a separate airstrike campaign last year.
“These strikes have killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials,” the statement said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the goal is to reopen commercial shipping in the Red Sea, an important waterway for global trade, but one that’s nearly shut down since the fall of 2023.
After Israel began its war in Gaza, the Houthis began targeting such vessels with attack drones and ballistic missiles, leading companies to reroute along lengthier and more expensive paths.
During the recent airstrike campaign, Houthi ballistic missile attacks have fallen by 69% and kamikaze drone attacks have fallen by 55%, according to Central Command. While diminished, these strikes are still discouraging commercial shipping companies from returning to their old routes.
CENTCOM also didn’t account for the costs involved in the operation, which has involved a bevy of American military assets. The U.S. now has two carrier strike groups operating in the region, a force usually reserved for major crises, such as the threat of a full regional war or escalation with Iran. It’s also sent new fighter, bomber and air defense units to the region over the last month.
The surge has concerned at least some Democrats in Congress, who worry that the Pentagon is using scarce munitions that should be preserved for a potential conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific.
In December 2023, the Biden administration launched its own effort to reopen global shipping: a multi-country task force called Operation Prosperity Guardian. The response involved sending U.S. military vessels to escort commercial ships in the Red Sea, alongside a separate bombing campaign against the Houthis. It largely failed to reassure shipping companies that the route was again safe.
Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.
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