The Houthis impose new rules, and 80% of US arms shipments change course

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy published an analytical article that addressed the unprecedented challenges facing the US Navy, as about 80% of US military supplies are shipped via commercial ships that have been forced to change their course through the Cape of Good Hope course, which is an extremely costly option in terms of time and resources.

Follow ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

The article pointed out that this exceptional shift in the shipping route reveals the fragility of US dependence on open supply chains in conflict zones.

The report revealed that the Houthi threats due to their decision to support Gaza have become a serious escalation on US military supplies through the Red Sea, describing the naval attacks carried out by the Yemeni forces as a “checkmate” for the United States’ inability to secure military supply chains.

The article pointed out that the Sana’a forces have succeeded in turning the Red Sea into a “major chessboard,” where, with limited capabilities, they were able to impose a complex deterrence equation, which has disrupted not only international trade routes but also paralyzed the natural flow of US military supplies.

The article affirmed that the military threat of the Sana’a forces to US influence has become direct and, indeed, a logistical and strategic impact of the first order, considering that the Houthis were able to “impose a major equation with a small war budget,” noting that they have forced Washington to change the rules of the game, which is an exceptional tactical victory for them.

The article concluded by saying, “The US entered the Red Sea to protect Israel but found itself facing an unexpected force that turned the deterrence equation upside down.”

Adding that “every missile or drone not only targets ships but also strikes the strategic depth of the prestige of the US Navy.”