U.S. Preparations for a Broad Propaganda War Targeting Every Home and Family in Yemen “Details”

NYN | Reports and analyses

An analysis published by the American magazine *Foreign Affairs* has revealed preparations for launching a propaganda war on social media against the “Houthis” in Yemen, following the failure of the U.S.-European alliance in their military campaign against them.

The analysis by Alexandra Stark, a researcher at the American think tank RAND Corporation, urges the United States to engage in a propaganda campaign against Yemen, stating that “the Houthis cannot be subdued, even if the U.S. and its allies were to drop bombs on all of Yemen.” Stark argues, “It’s unfortunate that the U.S. has few good options when it comes to responding to the Houthis.”

The analysis continues: “The Houthis can use low-cost technology, including drones in the air and sea. After decades of war, they have become adept at moving and hiding their assets. Even if the U.S.-backed coalition dropped bombs all over Houthi territory, such an attack would not reduce the Houthis’ military capabilities to the extent that the group could not carry out its own attacks.”

The analysis suggests that the best chance for the U.S. to deter Houthi attacks is to find ways to conduct its own media campaign to counter the Houthis’ messaging. “As long as the Houthis believe they are winning the information war, they are likely to continue their attacks,” it adds. “Neutralizing Houthi propaganda is the best way to deter the group’s attacks. The most straightforward way to weaken their message is to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.”

The analysis proposes that a propaganda campaign should focus on discrediting the Houthis through “other types of counter-messaging that could also mitigate the impact of Houthi attacks. Social media posts could effectively highlight the damage caused by Houthi attacks, expose the pattern of Houthi repression and hypocrisy, and show that the group is harming, not helping, the people. Images of the USS Eisenhower assisting the multinational crew of the MV Theodore, which the Houthis sank, demonstrate how the Houthis are not just targeting commercial ships but also ordinary people from around the world who work on them.”

“By countering the messages sent by the Houthis and their supporters, including Russia and China, such posts could play a significant role in combating misinformation.”

The American researcher’s recommendations include leveraging the “American spy cell” reportedly captured by the security forces of the Sanaa government. Stark suggests that “U.S. messaging could also highlight how the Houthis detained United Nations and NGO employees in June, making life more difficult for many Yemeni families who rely on humanitarian aid to survive.”

The analysis also recommends promoting the narrative on social media that military operations carried out by the Sanaa government against Israel in support of Gaza are harmful to Yemenis. “Houthi attacks on commercial ships lead to increased shipping costs, making basic goods like food and fuel more expensive for Yemenis. The July Houthi attack on the oil tanker ‘Chios Leon’ caused a 125-mile oil spill along the Red Sea coast, with severe economic consequences for Yemenis working in the fishing industry, a major source of employment and food security,” the analysis notes.