Biden or Trump: Failure in Yemen Reigns Supreme

Trump’s Return to Power and Yemen’s Ongoing Crisis

Following his initial presidency from 2017 to 2021, Donald Trump has returned to the White House, vowing during his inauguration to implement a series of domestic and international measures to, in his words, “restore America’s golden age.”

In his inaugural address, Trump announced sweeping changes targeting U.S. governmental institutions, including plans to annex the Panama Canal and raise tariffs on several products imported from European and Western nations.

However, conspicuously absent from his speech was any mention of U.S. policy toward the Arab region, particularly Yemen, which has faced aggression from the American-British coalition since January 12, 2024. Despite this, Trump wasted no time signing an executive order reclassifying Ansar Allah in Yemen as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” with the order set to take effect 30 days after its issuance. The White House justified the move by alleging that “the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in allied nations, and targeted commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait over 100 times.”

Despite such claims, the American-British coalition’s failure in Yemen is undeniable. It has been unable to thwart the Yemeni military support operations targeting Israeli-linked ships at sea in solidarity with Gaza.

An Unprecedented Western Military Escalation

The United States has led an unprecedented military buildup in its aggression against Yemen. Yet, it has failed to curb Yemen’s military capabilities, which have become a major obstacle for the Western coalition in the Red Sea.

America’s allies now look to Trump to restore U.S. dominance, which Yemeni armed forces have significantly eroded through their successful campaigns in the Red Sea.

Unchanging U.S. Policy Toward Yemen

Media activist Talib al-Hassani stressed that U.S. policy toward Yemen remains consistent regardless of changes in administration. Speaking to Ansar Allah’s official website, al-Hassani explained that U.S. Democrats view the Middle East—and Yemen specifically—through a lens of leveraging available opportunities. He noted that these opportunities were thoroughly exploited both militarily and politically during the al-Aqsa Flood battle.

Al-Hassani also highlighted the significant regional and international efforts made by the previous administration to weaken Yemen’s military capabilities. The deployment of an advanced naval fleet equipped with cutting-edge technology, he argued, underscores America’s determination to undermine Yemen’s sovereignty and military strength.

Despite the presence of one of the U.S.’s largest naval arsenals in the Red Sea and its efforts to deliver precise strikes targeting Yemen’s military infrastructure, these attempts have failed.

Al-Hassani noted that America often blames its political and military defeats on the Islamic Republic of Iran, using this as an excuse to evade acknowledgment of Yemen’s remarkable military prowess, which continues to confound its adversaries.

 Failure in Yemen Reigns Supreme

According to al-Hassani, the U.S.’s military approach toward Yemen has resulted in nothing but failure, regardless of whether it was under former President Biden or current President Trump. He predicted that Trump would escalate economic pressures on Yemen instead.

He explained that the U.S. cannot sustain its aggressive war campaign in Yemen because it is well aware of the sacrifices it would endure without achieving any meaningful outcomes. Moreover, the previous U.S. attempts to pressure Saudi Arabia and the UAE into further involvement have proven ineffective, as both nations fear the economic and military repercussions of future aggression against Yemen, given its advanced military capabilities.

Al-Hassani concluded that Trump is unlikely to risk direct military escalation against Yemen, recognizing that such a move would be a grave mistake with disastrous military, political, and economic consequences.

 America Viewing Yemen Through Israeli Lens

After suffering significant defeat in Yemen and the collapse of its advanced military arsenal—including aircraft carriers and destroyers—the U.S. now perceives Yemen as a critical threat to its regional interests.

In response, the U.S. has sought alternative means to neutralize the Yemeni threat. However, Yemen’s high state of military readiness and ongoing advancements in military technology will undoubtedly sustain and amplify this threat to America and its allies.

Political activist Abdulaziz Abu Talib remarked that the U.S. views Yemen and the Middle East through an Israeli lens, viewing only the interests of the Zionist entity and U.S. strategic goals. He suggested that Trump might impose additional international economic sanctions on Yemen to further isolate it globally. Abu Talib also predicted that Trump would intensify efforts to sever Yemen’s ties with its allies, such as Iraq, Lebanon, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, while using humanitarian aid as a tool to harm Yemen.

Breaking Isolation: Yemen’s Strategic Advantage

Despite the U.S.’s well-known strategy of imposing harsh economic blockades on opposing nations, Yemen’s strategic location grants it the ability to resist such isolation. With access to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Yemen occupies a critical geopolitical position that compels global powers to engage with it politically and economically.

In this context, Brigadier General Hamid Antar emphasized that Yemen’s advanced military capabilities ensure its ability to safeguard its political and economic rights. Speaking to Ansar Allah’s official website, Antar noted that the U.S., along with its allies and regional proxies—especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE—has engaged in extensive military campaigns in Yemen for over a decade. Throughout this period, they have come to recognize the impossibility of defeating Yemen militarily.

Antar explained that despite the coalition’s logistical and military support, which included internationally banned weapons, the American-British-Israeli coalition has failed to weaken Yemen’s military strength.

He concluded that the only viable option for the U.S. and its allies is to cease their interference in Yemen’s internal affairs and allow Yemenis to determine their future. Any alternative course will inevitably result in severe consequences for the U.S. and its allies.