Bloomberg: America Loses the Red Sea Battle to the Houthis, as Unexpected Maritime Challenges Emerge on the Global Stage

NYN | Reports and analyses

American news agency Bloomberg reported that the United States has lost the Red Sea battle to the forces of the Sanaa government (Houthis), noting that the maritime attacks launched by the Sanaa forces in support of Gaza were the biggest surprise of last year, describing them as the most significant maritime challenge in decades.

In an analytical article by writer Hal Brands titled “America Loses the Red Sea Battle”, the agency highlighted that last year was full of surprises, even by Middle Eastern standards. Brands emphasized that “Hamas’s surprise attack led to the bloodiest day for Jews since the Holocaust, and the war between Israel and Hamas lasted longer than many expected, with Iran launching one of the largest drone and missile attacks in history against Israel.”

Brands added that “the most ominous surprise for the global order came from Yemen, where the Houthis—a quasi-state actor unknown to most Americans—posed the greatest challenge to freedom of the seas in decades, leading to the defeat of a superpower along the way.”

According to the article, “The Houthis’ campaign against shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, began in late 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinian people and caused the bankruptcy of the Israeli port of Eilat in the Gulf of Aqaba. Almost a year into the U.S.-led ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian,’ the group shows no signs of retreating, and in fact, has become bolder.”

The writer pointed out that these events reveal new global issues, the most important being “the decreasing cost of imposing power.” The Houthis used drones and missiles to control vital maritime routes, despite not being a traditional military force or even controlling all of Yemen.

Brands added that there is a strategic synergy between America’s adversaries, noting that since October 2023, the Houthis have allowed most Chinese shipping to pass safely while receiving moral support from Russia, which seeks revenge against Washington.

The third factor complicating the situation, according to Brands, is “America’s reluctance to escalate,” reflecting the U.S. military’s weakness due to overextension. The once global superpower is now merely engaged in an indecisive war with a group of Yemeni extremists.

According to the writer, the U.S. currently lacks the resources to launch a more aggressive campaign without affecting its readiness to face other conflicts.

Brands emphasized that what is happening in the Red Sea highlights the “erosion of international norms,” noting that the Houthis have upended freedom of the seas in a critical region with very little cost.

Nevertheless, the U.S. does not seem poised to take drastic corrective action. According to Brands, President Joe Biden remains preoccupied with trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which could remove the Houthis and other Iranian allies’ pretext for war, even if it doesn’t stop maritime attacks.

Brands concluded his article by noting that regardless of who the U.S. president is in 2025, they will have to confront the reality that America is losing the conflict in the Red Sea, with all the global consequences that may follow.