A Broad-Scale American Aggression Against Yemen: What Makes It Exceptional and Different?

By Charles Abi Nader

Lebanon - The recent American aggression against Yemen is neither new nor surprising, as it follows a continuous trajectory unfolding in two phases. The first phase consists of a Western-regional war that has persisted for over eight years under the sponsorship and leadership of the United States. The second phase began almost simultaneously with the "Israeli" war on Gaza and Lebanon, prompting Yemen to launch a support maneuver in defense of the people of Gaza. However, given the specific details, objectives and messages of this latest aggression, it can be considered different and exceptional, potentially marking a new and decisive stage of conflict in the regional arena—one that could extend to the broader international stage.

From a military standpoint, the assault was carried out by multiple squadrons of American and British warplanes, with limited drone participation. These forces launched dozens of intense airstrikes across seven Yemeni governorates—covering all of northern, western, and central Yemen—targeting three categories of objectives: military sites, civilian infrastructure, and political decision-making centers of the Sanaa government and Ansarullah.

Notably, this level of aggression is unprecedented compared to all previous Western attacks on Yemen. It resembled a large-scale aerial campaign that surpassed the conventional air operations typically led and executed by Western powers.

The extensive range of targeted sites, spanning vast geographical areas, necessitated such an unprecedented level of aerial operations. This was particularly crucial given that the Yemenis, beyond their advanced missile, drone, and air defense capabilities, possess two distinct advantages that set them apart from any other adversary: their accumulated experience in confronting Western airpower and their mastery of the region’s difficult and complex terrain, which they have skillfully leveraged through prolonged combat experience and exceptional military operations.

The most striking aspect of this latest aggression, however, was not its sheer magnitude—despite its exceptional scale—but rather the swift response from Ansarullah. In retaliation, Yemeni forces targeted high-value American military assets, specifically the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, which had played a central role in the airstrikes.

On Sunday, March 16, 2025, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced the execution of a high-precision military operation against the USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships in the northern Red Sea. The operation involved 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, and was jointly carried out by the missile forces, the drone air force, and the naval forces.

This raises a critical question: If the United States deployed its maximum available aerial capabilities in a highly complex operation against Yemen, yet Yemen’s missile and drone forces remain active and effective—capable of mounting a rapid and direct response against the most critical American military targets—then it becomes evident that a military solution will fail to subdue the Yemeni forces.

Given this reality, in which the largest and most extensive aggression to date has failed to curb Yemen’s ability to support Gaza and maintain its strategic influence in one of the world’s most vital maritime regions—the Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Sea—the United States and "Israel" are left with only one viable course of action: halting Zionist crimes against the Palestinians and ensuring the full implementation of the ongoing exchange agreement in Gaza. The most crucial aspect of this agreement is honoring "Israel’s" commitments, particularly those concerning the humanitarian situation—commitments that should be upheld unconditionally, without being tied to any security, military or political conditions.