Initially, US officials had hoped to establish air superiority over Yemen within 30 days, paving the way for a more aggressive phase targeting Houthi leadership. However, the repeated destruction of these critical surveillance drones has derailed those plans, exposing vulnerabilities in the US strategy.
The MQ-9 Reaper drones are vital for intelligence gathering and tracking Houthi activities, especially in the strategically important Red Sea region. Without boots on the ground, the US military relies heavily on these platforms for battlefield assessments and operational planning.
A US defense official acknowledged to the international media, "We are aware of Houthi reports that these MQ-9s have been shot down," adding that while hostile fire is a likely cause, investigations are ongoing. The loss of drones has hindered the ability to evaluate the impact of US strikes on Houthi weapons stockpiles, with one official noting, "The loss of drones has complicated our ability to assess how much we have degraded their weapons capabilities."
Despite over 300 airstrikes and hitting more than 700 targets, the US has struggled to neutralize the Houthis, who have fired 77 drones, 30 cruise missiles, 24 ballistic missiles, and 23 surface-to-air missiles in the past six weeks, targeting US and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, as well as Israel. US intelligence indicates that the Houthis' missile and command structures remain largely intact.
Although US Central Command reports over 650 Houthi casualties and significant reductions in missile launches (87%) and drone attacks (65%), the campaign's cost—nearly $1 billion in three weeks—has strained resources, highlighting the US's failure to contain the Houthis effectively.