US campaign in Yemen: Rising costs, civilian tolls and Houthi resistance
Houthi militants in Yemen have shot down three more American Reaper drones in the past week, raising the total number downed since mid-March to seven, according to US Air Force officials.
The escalation came after the Trump administration’s March 15 decision to launch an intensified air campaign against the Iran-aligned group, aimed at ending their persistent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Since then, however, the Houthis have not only withstood the pressure, but also managed to inflict significant losses on American assets.
The Houthis launched their maritime attacks in support for Hamas, which was targeted by Israel, following the October 2023 attacks on southern Israel. The US has chosen to step in to ensure that busy sea lanes and commercial shipping in the Red Sea remains unaffected, and also to prevent an escalation between Israel and the Houthis.
However, so far, the Houthis have downed more than 15 Reaper drones, which play a crucial role in gathering real-time surveillance used to direct airstrikes. The MQ-9 drones cost around $28–30 million each and typically fly at altitudes higher than 40,000 feet, forming a part of a larger US arsenal of approximately 280 Reapers.
ALSO READ | Will Pete Hegseth be fired? US Defense Secretary shared Houthi attack plan on a second Signal group chat
Despite an extensive and costly air campaign—now said to have involved roughly 750 airstrikes—US officials admit that the operation against the Houthis has yielded only limited strategic results. Much of the Houthis’ military infrastructure, including missile systems, drones and command hubs, is stored in fortified underground bunkers that have proven difficult to destroy, although the Central Command has claimed destroying over 800 targets.
However, Congressional briefings indicate that the airstrikes have not significantly degraded the Houthis’ ability to wage asymmetric warfare. The Houthis have continued to launch missiles and drones at American military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, though none have successfully struck their targets.
The US effort has grown increasingly expensive. Early estimates in April placed the cost of munitions alone at $200 million, with officials now projecting that this figure could reach $1 billion. The airstrikes have been conducted by F/A-18 jets from two aircraft carriers—the USS Harry S. Truman and the USS Carl Vinson—as well as B-2 stealth bombers based on Diego Garcia.
In response to escalating hostilities, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Truman deployment to be extended, and is currently considering a further extension. The presence of two carriers in the region is a rarity, due to concerns over maintenance schedules and personnel fatigue.
Meanwhile, the campaign has come under growing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers. Senators Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, and Tim Kaine have criticised the Trump administration’s conduct of the war, warning that the high civilian death toll undermines the president’s claim of being a peacemaker. According to the Yemen Data Project, US strikes killed at least 63 civilians (including 11 children), and wounded 150 between March 15 and April 15.
The senators particularly questioned a strike on April 17, targeting the Ras Isa fuel port on the western coast of Yemen along the Red Sea coast, which reportedly killed 80 people, including civilian workers and paramedics.
According to the US military, the strike was intended to take out economic infrastructure used by the Houthis, but human rights groups say such blanket attacks could worsen Yemen’s already dire humanitarian situation, and push more people to poverty—and even famine. The US defence department has been so far deliberately opaque about the Yemen campaign, despite the senators demanding clarity about civilian casualties.
The Houthis maintain that they will continue their attacks until Israel ends the war in Gaza and the blockade on Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, a senior Houthi figure said that they would stop targeting American ships if the US halted its bombing campaign in Yemen. Yet, there is no indication that Washington is considering such a move.
The Trump administration's aggressive military response has so far failed to compel the Houthis to stand down. Instead, it has resulted in costly losses, civilian casualties and growing domestic and international criticism. The Houthis appear to be bolstering their support among the Yemeni population—80 per cent of them are under Houthi rule—by portraying themselves as defenders against foreign aggression.
Middle East