Yemen, the unfinished business that America ignores at its peril

As thousands of drones and missiles fly through the skies of the Middle East targeting the United States and its allies, one group’s weapons are notably absent — the Islamic Republic of Iran’s partner in Yemen, the Houthis. That doesn’t mean the group no longer poses a threat.

The Houthis were at the forefront of the war in Gaza and kept up a military campaign against Israel, commercial shipping in the Red Sea, as well as American and partner naval forces for two years. They only relented in October 2025 when the Gaza ceasefire went into effect.