Trump’s Yemen Campaign Targets Houthis as Civilian Casualties Mount
The US military has carried out more than 800 strikes in Yemen since President Donald Trump ordered a major air campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi movement on March 15, US Central Command said Sunday. Known as Operation Rough Rider, the campaign aims to deter Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and to pressure Iran’s regional proxies.
Central Command reported that the strikes have targeted Houthi command centers, weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, and missile sites used to attack commercial and military vessels. Officials said the operation had killed “hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders,” but provided no names.
The Houthis, meanwhile, accused US forces of killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 more in an airstrike on a prison for African migrants in Yemen’s Saada governorate. Footage aired by the Houthis showed dead and wounded migrants, with medics struggling to evacuate survivors. The US military had no immediate comment on the alleged incident, which renewed concerns about the humanitarian impact of the air campaign.
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Operation Rough Rider has already cost US taxpayers more than $1 billion, congressional officials said, with $200 million spent on munitions during the campaign’s first three weeks alone. The high operational tempo has raised concerns among US military planners, who worry that continued use of precision-guided weapons could strain stockpiles needed for potential conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region.
While the Trump administration defends the strikes as essential to protecting freedom of navigation, critics question the growing civilian toll and the strategic wisdom of deepening military involvement in the Middle East. Some conservative foreign policy analysts have urged a focus on Asia rather than renewed entanglements in Yemen.
The Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have launched dozens of attacks on shipping and on Israel. Central Command said that Iran continues to support Houthi operations, describing Tehran’s backing as crucial to the group’s ability to maintain its attacks.
In addition to military operations, the Houthis have tightened internal control, ordering civilians to surrender unauthorized Starlink satellite devices used for independent communications. US officials say such restrictions could further isolate Houthi-held areas from outside observers.
The Trump administration has said that airstrikes, including the April 18 attack on the Ras Isa fuel port that killed 74 people, are intended to cut off the Houthis’ revenue streams and weaken their ability to sustain operations.
The Houthis have not shown signs of backing down, suggesting that the conflict and the humanitarian fallout may continue for the foreseeable future.
