Yemen : Mounting Pressure on Washington and Tel Aviv as Airstrikes Fail to Deter Houthis… Hodeidah Emerges as Potential Target for Ground Offensive

Yemen Online

08-05-2025

Paris – (YOL) Exclusive
The Yemeni battlefield is witnessing rapid developments amid growing pressure on both the United States and Israel, as Houthi drone and missile attacks toward Israeli territory persist. Despite repeated U.S. airstrikes on Houthi positions, the group's military capabilities remain largely intact, and their threat continues to escalate.
While recent precision strikes have targeted Houthi facilities and infrastructure, field indicators suggest the group retains substantial offensive capabilities. This ongoing resilience has placed Western powers in a difficult position, challenging the effectiveness of their current military strategy.
According to overlapping diplomatic and security sources, advanced discussions are underway between Washington, London, and Tel Aviv to support a limited ground operation led by local Yemeni forces, with Western logistical and intelligence assistance. Analysts believe the strategic port city of Hodeidah, located on Yemen's western coast, is being considered as the primary target for this potential campaign, due to its logistical significance and its suspected role in facilitating Houthi aerial and maritime operations.
In this context, a senior U.S. Department of Defense official—speaking on condition of anonymity—stated: 'Airstrikes alone will not be sufficient to dismantle the Houthis' complex infrastructure, especially in heavily fortified coastal areas. A serious debate is currently underway about the need to support localized ground operations executed by trained Yemeni units with direct international backing.'
For his part, regional security expert Dr. Michael Stein noted: 'Hodeidah serves as a logistical stronghold for the Houthis. Gaining control of the city would deal a significant blow to their ability to threaten maritime routes and sustain military supply chains.'
Should this plan be implemented, it would mark a significant shift in the rules of engagement with the Iran-backed group and could trigger broader regional ramifications at a time of heightened tensions across multiple fronts in the Middle East.