On the Brink of Disaster: U.S. Defeat in Yemen Revealed

President Donald Trump this week declared a "successful" end to the military campaign against the Houthi militia in Yemen. But behind the celebratory statements, new revelations are emerging about an expensive, perilous, and largely ineffective military operation. Operation "Rough Rider," which lasted two months, involved more than 1,100 airstrikes targeting over 1,000 objectives, yet ultimately concluded with a withdrawal and a growing sense of strategic failure.

According to reports in The New York Times, Trump - who has long opposed prolonged military engagements in the Middle East - lost patience after just 30 days of combat yielded minimal results. The campaign cost the U.S. over $1 billion in its first month alone, and failed to stop the Houthis from launching ballistic missiles toward Israel and attacking ships in the Red Sea.

Just two days after Trump declared "victory," a Houthi missile was launched toward Israel, triggering air raid sirens. It followed a May 4 incident in which a Houthi missile bypassed Israeli defenses and struck near Ben Gurion Airport, reportedly influencing Trump's decision to end the campaign.

The U.S. military deployed two aircraft carriers, B-2 bombers, fighter jets, and air defense systems including Patriot and THAAD batteries throughout the region. However, the operation faced serious setbacks, including two major accidents in which F/A-18 Super Hornet jets - each worth $67 million - fell into the sea from an American aircraft carrier. Two pilots and one deck crew member were injured.

Senior U.S. officers also expressed concern over the massive expenditure of long-range precision munitions, warning it could weaken America's ability to respond to a potential crisis in Taiwan involving China.

While the White House framed the end of the fighting as a success, the Houthis and their supporters quickly proclaimed their own victory, flooding social media with the hashtag "Yemen Defeats America."