Despite weeks of US airstrikes and $200 million in munitions, Ansarallah’s missile capabilities remain largely intact, officials told the New York Times.
US efforts to destroy Ansarallah’s vast arsenal of missiles, drones, and bombers have had limited success, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing Pentagon officials.
According to three congressional and allied officials who spoke to the newspaper, the Yemeni movement Ansarallah has reinforced many of its hideouts and strategic sites, making it difficult for US forces to significantly disrupt missile attacks.
“In closed briefings in recent days, Pentagon officials have acknowledged that there has been only limited success in destroying the Houthis’ vast, largely underground arsenal of missiles, drones and launchers, according to congressional aides and allies,” the report noted.
The paper also highlighted the financial and operational costs of the US campaign.
“In just three weeks, the Pentagon has used $200 million worth of munitions, in addition to the immense operational and personnel costs to deploy two aircraft carriers, additional B-2 bombers and fighter jets, as well as Patriot and THAAD air defenses to the Middle East,” the report said, citing an official.
According to the sources, the US air campaign against Ansarallah could last at least six months.
“The total cost could be well over $1 billion by next week, and the Pentagon might soon need to request supplemental funds from Congress,” the Times said.
The officials confirmed that “Trump administration officials say the air and naval strikes are intended to pressure the Houthis (Ansarallah – PC) to halt attacks that have disrupted international shipping lanes in the Red Sea for more than a year.”
New Airstrikes
Meanwhile, Yemeni media outlets reported that fresh US airstrikes targeted the Al-Asayed area in Kitaf district of Saada Governorate, as well as Kahlan, east of the northern Yemeni city. Israeli media also reported that US air defenses intercepted a missile launched from Yemen before it reached Israel.
On Thursday, a series of US airstrikes targeted Saada, Al Hudaydah, and Sana’a.
Late Thursday night, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that US air defenses had intercepted another missile launched from Yemen.
On March 15, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered a “major offensive” against Ansarallah in Yemen, later threatening to “completely eliminate” the movement.
In response, the group declared that US threats would not deter them from “continuing their support for Gaza.”
In the days following Trump’s statement, Ansarallah resumed its attacks on Israeli targets and Red Sea-bound ships, coinciding with the Israeli military’s renewed assault on Gaza on March 18.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Dondolf Twitler and his entire administration are an insult to American values, and a stain on the face of freedom and liberty. The 25th Amendment should be used to remove him immediately. But it should also be extended to include his shady Vice President: none of them are fit for office. Rashida Tlaib should be President, Tom Massie should be Vice President. Ted Cruz should be Secretary of State. Rashida would fix Gaza, defund and dismantle the illegal state of ” Israel ” , send all the ZioNazis back to their original countries and give it back to Palestine.
¡Vivan los Hutíes!