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gatestoneinstitute.org – What is essential to remember is that the Houthis and other proxies of Iran are in all likelihood deeply apprehensive about the prospect of their senior leadership being targeted. By refraining from targeting Houthi leaders, the United States has inadvertently emboldened the group and allowed them to act with impunity.
In recent months, the Red Sea has become a battleground for attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen, with the Biden administration facing mounting criticism for its failure to quell the escalating violence. As the Houthi group continues to build its weapons stockpile in Yemen, supported by the Iranian regime, the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. It is critical that the United States reevaluate its military strategy to effectively address this growing threat.
The current approach, adopted by the Biden administration, is characterized by a reluctance to directly target Houthi leadership. The administration has opted instead to focus solely on destroying weapons and equipment.
This approach, however, has proven ineffective in deterring the Houthis from launching further attacks. What is essential to remember is that the Houthis and other proxies of Iran are in all likelihood deeply apprehensive about the prospect of their senior leadership being targeted. By refraining from targeting Houthi leaders, the United States has inadvertently emboldened the group and allowed them to act with impunity.
A former US military official, who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity, pointed out that the current campaign against the Houthis is similar to previous failed endeavors:
“The US campaign against the Houthis appears to bear the hallmarks of many of these highly circumscribed, scrubbed campaigns of the past where we seek to avoid causing them actual pain.”
The Trump administration’s targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for instance, resulted in cessation of Iranian harassment of the US as long Trump was in office. If one wants to induce meaningful change in the behavior of the Houthis, unfortunately decisive blows will be necessary.
Sadly, the reliance on cosmetic strikes to destroy Houthi drones and missiles is both financially unsustainable and strategically futile. Continuously expending resources on missiles, worth multi-millions dollars each, to counter far less expensive Houthi weaponry is not a dazzling long-term solution. The Biden administration would be better served targeting Houthi weapons depots and missile launchers to disrupt their military capabilities in a significant way.
Merely intensifying attacks on Houthi infrastructure, however, will not suffice. Without substantially degrading Houthi military capabilities, the recently redesignated terrorist group will continue to pose a significant threat. Therefore, it is imperative to adopt a multifaceted approach that also targets the source of the problem – Iran’s regime.
Recent incidents, such as the seizure of advanced conventional weapons bound for Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen from an Iranian vessel in the Arabian Sea, underscore Iran’s arming of the Houthis. To send a clear message to Iran and compel them to cease supporting the Houthi insurgency, the United States should target Iran’s critical oil infrastructure or military bases.
By targeting Iran’s military capabilities or oil industry, the United States can at least stand a chance of pressuring the Iranian regime to stop providing weapons to the Houthis. That, in turn, will compel Iran to pressure the Houthis to cease their destabilizing activities in the region.
The continued support of the Houthi terrorist group by Iran also exacerbates the suffering of the Yemeni people. By targeting the source of the problem – the Iranian regime – the United States will not only protect its own interests but also alleviate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
Iran’s support for the Houthis is just part of its broader strategy to expand its influence and drive the US from the region. Failure to effectively address the Houthi threat not only emboldens Iran but also undermines US credibility and influence in the Middle East, China, Russia, North Korea and South America. The Biden administration needs seriously to demonstrate resolve and leadership in confronting Iran’s destabilizing activities and its nuclear weapons program, to protect the security of US partners and allies in the region.
The Biden administration’s failure to effectively counter the escalating threat posed by Houthi attacks is quickly approaching a crisis. A strategic reassessment of the current US military strategy is urgently needed. By shifting US focus to target Houthi leadership, and even more, the IRGC leadership, attack weapons depots, and especially targeting the Iranian regime, the United States can disrupt the violence by the Houthis and safeguard stability in the region.
It is high time for bold and decisive action to protect the security and interests of the United States and its allies in the region. The consequences of inaction are potentially catastrophic, not just for the security of the Middle East and the global maritime trade passing through the Red Sea, but to prevent all who are planning to displace the United States as the world’s leading superpower from nurturing the thought.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at [email protected]
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