Houthi Media Releases “Victory Over the American” Video Amid Ongoing Regional Escalations
Executive Summary
The Houthi military media outlet has released a new video titled “Victory Over the American – The Right Word 1446 AH,” framing recent military actions against U.S. forces as a divine triumph and reiterating its ideological commitment to resistance against foreign intervention.
Analysis
The video, released on May 2, 2025, presents itself as both a strategic communications tool and an ideological reaffirmation. Through a blend of Quranic narration, martial imagery, and battlefield footage, the production portrays the United States as a colonial aggressor and the Houthi movement as the vanguard of Islamic resistance.
The core of the video focuses on operational successes: drone strikes, naval attacks, and the claimed downing of American aircraft such as the MQ-9 Reaper. Specific attention is given to maritime operations in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, including efforts to block Israeli-linked shipping and target U.S. vessels like the USS Truman. These actions are framed not just as tactical victories but as symbolic blows against American imperialism.
This messaging aligns with the Houthi narrative of religious obligation and national liberation. The video invokes the “cry in the face of the arrogant” slogan, reiterating their ideological lineage from the movement’s founder. The media product aims to galvanize domestic support, present deterrence to foreign adversaries, and broadcast strategic resilience to a regional and global audience.
Released in the context of sustained conflict in Gaza and Yemen, and amid heightened tensions with the U.S. Navy’s presence in the region, the production functions as part threat, part morale booster. It consolidates the group’s position as a regional actor capable of asymmetric warfare and media warfare alike.
