American newspaper reveals Trump's first mission: ending Houthi control over navigation in the Red Sea

An American newspaper suggested that one of the first tasks of US President Donald Trump, in his attempt to end wars in the Middle East and ease inflationary pressures in America, is to end the Houthis’ control over maritime traffic in the Red Sea, noting what it described as a “decisive setback” to Iran’s proxy in Yemen could send an important message in deterring America’s enemies.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree was quick to deny reports last week that the Yemen-based “terrorist group” was planning to lift its year-long blockade of the Red Sea in response to Trump’s election. To underscore that militant statement, the Houthis on Sunday fired a ballistic missile into central Israel, claiming to have hit a strategic military target.

According to The New York Sun , the Houthis, who claim to be fighting Israel on behalf of Hamas, have also disrupted 12% of global trade by attacking ships in the Red Sea. “At such a scale, attacks using weapons systems on civilian vessels have not occurred since World War II,” according to a recent report by a UN panel, which highlighted Iran’s arming and training of the Houthis.

“I can’t see Trump accepting the closure of the Red Sea and all the costs that entails,” Bill Roggio, editor of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, told the paper. “If he wants to lower prices, that has to be addressed.”

President Biden has carried out airstrikes against Houthi military facilities in Yemen, including earlier this week in a joint operation with the British. The U.S. Navy and other naval forces have escorted ships in the Red Sea, and Israel has twice struck the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, where the Houthis receive much of their arms shipments.

However, the newspaper points out that the Houthis are not backing down. Backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, they seem determined to control which commercial ships will be allowed to sail in the Red Sea. The report asked, "Can new strategies be tried?"

On the other hand, America refused to sink the Iranian spy ship "MV Behshad", which had been sailing for months in the Red Sea region, supervising the targeting of Houthi ships. Mr. Roggio points out that there is another tactic that has not yet been tried, which is targeting Houthi individuals, including senior leaders and their collaborators from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Yemen.

But on the other hand, Saudi Arabia, which has quickly become central to America’s Middle East strategy, objects to military action across its border, Inbal Nissim Lofton, a Yemen watcher at the Jerusalem Forum for Regional Thinking, told the paper. After failing to defeat the Houthis in a war that began in 2015, Riyadh has become wary of Houthi attacks on its energy facilities, and fears they could be renewed, the paper said.

Like Biden, Trump has signaled his desire to calm the Middle East, and sees Riyadh as a key player in achieving that goal. At the same time, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has decisive influence over the Houthis, opposes a regional rapprochement focused on the Saudis.

If Trump “wants to disengage from some of these things, he’s going to have to engage,” Mr. Roggio says, adding that pushing back against Houthi aggression would be a good start. “Obviously it’s not that simple, but it’s something that can be done, and you don’t really have to put boots on the ground to fix this problem.”

In its 537-page report to the Security Council, the UN panel of military, intelligence, economic and other officials from several countries wrote last week: “The extent of the transfer of diverse military equipment and technology to the Houthis from external sources, including financial support and training of their fighters, is unprecedented.”

With the help of Iran and Hezbollah, the former militia that once fought local rivals in one of the world’s poorest countries has become a formidable army, the newspaper said. The Houthis’ forces, including child soldiers, are now estimated to number about 350,000, up from 220,000 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2015, according to a United Nations report.

The committee's report added that "the volume, nature and extent of the transfer of various military equipment and technology provided to the Houthis from external sources, including financial support and training of their fighters, is unprecedented."

The report noted that with Hezbollah and Hamas in decline, the Houthis—who were originally set up to fight Riyadh—are on the verge of becoming the mullahs’ first proxy army, which would harm America’s interests.

The newspaper stressed that Trump can prevent future military complications by dealing with the Houthis now. It warned that if the group is allowed to expand further, this could end any hope for peace - and punish the American economy at the same time.