Why It Matters

A recent CRS report on the conflict with Yemen and Red Sea security issues reveals a deepening crisis that threatens global shipping and complicates U.S. policy choices.

The Iran-backed Houthis control most of northwestern Yemen and have repeatedly attacked commercial vessels in one of the world's most critical shipping lanes, the Bab al Mandab Strait. The Trump Administration launched a military campaign in March 2025 and redesignated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization at the same time, and the Houthis have since resumed attacks on non-U.S. and Israeli targets. Some members of Congress have questioned President Trump's assertions of authority to direct military operations in Yemen.

The Big Picture

The Houthis launched sustained attacks on international shipping from October 2023 through December 2024, ostensibly to pressure Israel to end its war with Hamas. An Oman-brokered truce resulted in the Houthis agreeing to cease targeting U.S. vessels and the U.S. agreeing to halt strikes. However, the group renewed attacks on some non-U.S. ships in July 2025 and resumed strikes on Israel during the 2026 U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. In June 2026, the Houthis threatened to target Israel-linked ships, and the following month they threatened to target Saudi-linked vessels.

The Trump Administration's military campaign sought to compel the Houthis to end maritime attacks and eliminate their threat capability. From March to May 2025, U.S. forces expanded strikes, though the Houthis resisted by attacking U.S. Navy ships and shooting down unmanned aircraft. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the U.S. military to treat as U.S. stocks any weapon or material intended for the Houthis obtained in transit or otherwise, and to use captured Houthi-bound weapons for drawdown purposes, including transfer.

In January, Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Tammy Bruce stated the Security Council should focus on depriving the Houthis of resources to conduct their terrorist activities.

Regional instability has created additional complications. Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates in December 2025 of providing military support to the Yemeni separatist Southern Transitional Council. The Strait of Hormuz disruptions since February have made the Bab al Mandab Strait a more important conduit for energy and goods, heightening the stakes of Houthi interference.

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