Mounting Losses Push U.S. to End Military Campaign Against Houthis
Rising operational costs and near-miss incidents involving American fighter jets appear to have played a key role in Washington’s decision to strike a ceasefire deal with Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla first proposed a military operation against the Houthis in November 2023, following a string of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. But then-President Joe Biden hesitated, concerned that a large-scale strike could boost the Houthis’ international profile. Instead, he authorized only limited airstrikes, which had little impact on the group’s capabilities.
When Donald Trump took office in January, Gen. Kurilla submitted a more aggressive plan: an 8- to 10-month bombing campaign aimed at dismantling the Houthis’ air defenses, followed by targeted assassinations of senior Houthi leaders—a tactic modeled after Israel’s strategy against Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia backed the plan, even supplying a list of 12 high-ranking Houthi figures whose elimination could severely disrupt the group.
President Trump approved parts of the plan in early March, greenlighting a series of strikes against air defenses and command targets. The Pentagon dubbed the operation “Rough Rider”, launching it on March 15.
Trump, wary of long-term entanglements in the Middle East, expected quick results—demanding a progress update just 31 days in. The verdict from top officials: “No objectives had been met.”
The U.S. military was losing ground. Not only did it fail to secure air dominance over Yemen, but it also lost seven MQ-9 Reaper drones, each valued at $30 million. Meanwhile, F-16s and F-35s narrowly dodged incoming Houthi missiles. One U.S. official revealed that a missile came so close to an F-35 that the pilot had to perform a sharp evasive maneuver.
Although the F-16s and F-35s escaped unscathed, two F/A-18 Super Hornets were lost, on April 28 and May 6. In a separate incident, on December 22, 2024, the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down an F/A-18F attempting to land—nearly hitting a second Super Hornet flying just a few kilometers behind.
“These kinds of incidents made the risk to American lives increasingly real,” one official admitted.
By late April, CENTCOM claimed over 1,000 targets had been struck in Yemen, degrading the Houthis’ military strength. However, U.S. media reports suggest that the casualties were mostly mid-level operatives, not top leadership. In the six weeks after Rough Rider began, Houthi forces still launched over 120 missiles and drones at U.S. assets.
The campaign’s cost ballooned. The Pentagon deployed two aircraft carriers, stealth B-2 bombers, fighter jets, and Patriot and THAAD missile systems to the region. Officials say the operation burned through more than $1 billion in just 30 days.
The high consumption of precision-guided munitions—especially long-range missiles—sparked concerns about depleting stockpiles that might be needed elsewhere, should a new global crisis emerge. The White House began pressing for measurable results. The Pentagon responded with munitions usage data, while U.S. intelligence acknowledged that while the Houthis had been weakened, they were still capable of regrouping.
Facing this reality, senior U.S. officials considered two options:
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Extend the campaign by one month, followed by high-profile freedom-of-navigation drills in the Red Sea involving the USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson. If the Houthis refrained from attacking, the U.S. could declare a symbolic victory.
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Prolong the operation further to give Yemen’s pro-government forces time to regroup and potentially push the Houthis out of key cities like Sanaa and strategic ports.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held calls with officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the White House, and the State Department to determine the best course of action, but no consensus emerged.
Several top U.S. officials—including Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine—voiced strong opposition to extending the war. Even Trump himself grew skeptical.
The turning point came on May 4, when a Houthi ballistic missile pierced Israeli air defenses and struck near Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv, injuring several civilians.
Shortly after, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff informed Trump of a backchannel proposal from Omani officials. The offer: the U.S. would halt airstrikes, and in return, the Houthis would stop targeting American warships in the Red Sea. However, the ceasefire did not restrict Houthi attacks on Israeli territory or Israeli-linked shipping.
On May 5, CENTCOM received orders to end Operation Rough Rider. The following day, Trump announced that the Houthis had “surrendered” and agreed to a truce. U.S. media noted the campaign’s abrupt end—less than two months after it began—highlighting how American officials may have underestimated Houthi resilience.
“We hit them hard—and they took it well. You could say they were very brave,” Trump said in his ceasefire announcement.
(Sources: Aviationist, CNN)
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