Iran: U.S. Raises White Flag After Defeat in Yemen
Executive Summary
The United States has officially ceased its military campaign against Yemen following a series of humiliating setbacks and failed objectives, including the downing of advanced drones and fighter jets by the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF). While a ceasefire brokered by Oman halts hostilities between Washington and Sanaa, Yemen’s Ansarullah movement has declared that its operations against Israel will persist until the war on Gaza ends. The truce, intended to ease tensions ahead of renewed Iran nuclear talks, exposes deep rifts between U.S. and Israeli strategies in the region.
Analysis
In a stunning reversal, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would end its unauthorized war against Yemen, stating that “they don’t want to fight anymore.” However, this framing was immediately challenged by Yemeni officials, who clarified that it was the U.S. who capitulated after failing to achieve military dominance. Omani mediation led to a ceasefire agreement under which both sides agreed to cease attacks against one another, particularly in the Red Sea.
The U.S. withdrawal follows a string of military embarrassments. The USS Harry S. Truman, the centerpiece of the American naval presence, suffered repeated losses — including the downing of at least two F/A-18 fighter jets and the destruction of Reaper drones. A particularly costly episode saw an F/A-18F Super Hornet crash into the Red Sea due to mechanical failure amid a Yemeni missile strike, raising questions about the vessel’s readiness and morale.
Despite the U.S. ceasefire, Yemeni military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree emphasized that attacks on Israeli targets would continue. Recent operations included strikes on Ben Gurion Airport with hypersonic missiles and drone attacks on strategic Israeli sites, which exposed the vulnerability of Zionist air defenses. These attacks have been portrayed by Ansarullah as part of a broader campaign to impose an aerial blockade on Israel in solidarity with Gaza.
Yemeni officials, including top spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam and political council leader Mahdi al-Mashat, made clear that their commitment to Palestinian resistance remains unchanged. Abdul-Salam described Trump’s declaration as a sign of American failure and stressed that Yemen’s military operations are not contingent on U.S. diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials were reportedly blindsided by the U.S. announcement. Prime Minister Netanyahu, under pressure from the unexpected shift, retaliated with intensified airstrikes on Yemen, including the bombing of Sanaa International Airport and other civilian infrastructure. These actions, however, have failed to deter Yemen’s resolve.
Iran and Saudi Arabia both welcomed the ceasefire, with Tehran lauding the steadfastness of the Yemeni people and criticizing ongoing Israeli and American complicity in war crimes. The truce is also seen as a strategic move by Washington to facilitate nuclear negotiations with Iran, though critics argue it exposes the limits of U.S. military leverage in the region.
