After nearly two months of relentless U.S. bombing in Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis have suffered major blows—but American officials and analysts warn the group remains a formidable force despite a ceasefire announced Tuesday by Washington.
President Donald Trump declared that U.S. airstrikes would halt following a deal, brokered by Oman, under which the Houthis agreed to stop targeting vital shipping routes. While the Houthis’ chief negotiator confirmed the truce to Reuters, he clarified it didn’t cover Israel, leaving open the possibility of future strikes on Israeli vessels and assets. The Houthis maintain their campaign is an expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In March, Trump ordered the Pentagon to ramp up its assault on Houthi forces in a mission dubbed Operation Rough Rider. Since then, U.S. forces claim to have hit more than 1,000 targets, eliminating hundreds of Houthi fighters and several mid-level commanders. Yet, the Houthis—who have dominated much of Yemen for close to a decade—demonstrated their resilience by successfully launching a strike on Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport just last Sunday.
“The Houthis have shown they can endure just about any aerial bombardment,” a U.S. official commented anonymously.
The group has staged over 100 attacks on shipping routes since Israel’s conflict with Hamas ignited in October 2023. Under the new accord, Oman stated, neither side will engage the other, including refraining from targeting U.S. naval vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Pentagon had been tipped off as early as Monday night that a truce was imminent, according to a second U.S. official.
The Houthis, having already weathered nearly a decade of Saudi-led coalition strikes, have consistently rebuilt their capabilities, posing a persistent threat to both U.S. and Israeli forces. While recent U.S. bombing campaigns have thinned their ranks—especially mid-level commanders critical for training lower-tier fighters—one U.S. official noted their morale has been significantly dented.
Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy cautioned that unless Iran’s supply lines are severed, the Houthis will likely rebound. “As long as Iran keeps the weapons flowing, any damage inflicted now will be temporary,” he said.
Battered but Still Dangerous
Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. and the U.K. initially launched airstrikes targeting the Houthis to safeguard the Red Sea corridor, a crucial artery for roughly 15% of global shipping. Trump’s administration later escalated those attacks.
According to U.S. military figures, Houthi ballistic missile launches dropped 69% and drone assaults fell by over 50% since the intensified campaign began. Still, the group’s strike on Israel underscored their continued ability to disrupt regional stability. Israel responded with air raids on Yemen’s Hodeidah port and Sanaa’s main airport.
In a separate incident last week, a U.S. F-18 fighter jet and its tow vehicle accidentally fell overboard from the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. Though the cause is still under review, officials say the carrier had to execute a sharp evasive maneuver during a Houthi attack. Another F-18 slid off the carrier just days later.
The financial toll of the campaign has been steep, with costs projected to run into billions of dollars, according to one U.S. official. The Houthis have also managed to shoot down seven U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones—each valued at tens of millions of dollars—since Trump’s term began.
“The Houthis’ enduring firepower is a stark reminder that they remain a serious challenge,” the official concluded.