West Throws Expensive Ordinance at Dug in Houthis

Breaking News:

BREAKING: The U.S. and U.K, with support from Australia, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Canada, conducted joint strikes tonight against Houthi targets in Yemen, per DOD official.

Strikes involved U.S. aircraft, ships and submarines. https://t.co/YxCUg4j1VS

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) January 11, 2024

US and the UK are striking Sanaa and Hudaydah aka cities – Yemeni official General Abdul Salam Jahaf.

US fired 100 precision-guided munitions so far.

This was not a surprise attack- plenty of forewarning. The reports brings back many old memories of the term: “launch sites” as in we hit launch sites. This is also known as “flat ground”.

Having gained a two-decade experience in guerilla warfare since 2004 and survived a regionalized war since 2015, the Houthis decentralized and concealed their heavy arms, bases and camps, developed wartime mobility and camouflage SOPs (standard operating procedures), and mastered disinformation.

Big question on US military stockpiles, especially after arming Israel for their genocide operations. US using surface to surface missiles including the Tomahawk for the Yemen attacks. The cost of a Tomahawk is about a million clown-bucks. The US reportedly has (or had) 3600 cruise missiles.

If these attacks inflict civilian casualties it will increase anti-American and anti-British sentiments among the public, thus losing the battle of hearts and minds as seen in Afghanistan, Somalia and Vietnam. A collective international attack would boost the rebels’ domestic support given opposition to foreign-intervention and growing anti-Americanism across the region. The attacks also enhance Houthi regional standing and approval.

To demonstrate capability, the Houthis are highly likely to continue maritime attacks undeterred, adopt more complex MOs given their use of mobile missile/drone launchers and expand the scope of their targets.

This will embolden militias to expand operational scope against global trade (beyond Gaza/Israel). Rules of engagement scrapped.

At stake is up to 15% of global maritime and 30% of water-borne container traffic valued at a trillion dollars. The boss of shipping giant AP Møller-Maersk has warned it could take months to reopen the crucial Red Sea trading route, risking an economic and inflationary hit to the global economy, companies and consumers.

A.P. Moller-Maersk will use rail transport to avoid the drought-hit Panama Canal, the Danish shipping giant said late on Wednesday, as low water levels have caused one of the world’s main maritime trade routes to reduce crossings.